Tim Wellens leads UAE Team Emirates at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne - "We feel confident we’ve done our homework"
Cycling
The Opening Weekend is only days away and UAE Team Emirates have revealed their lineup for the two opening cobbled classics of the spring. Tim Wellens leads the charge for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne in chase of his first win of the season.
“The team has started the year very strongly which lifts the whole group. For me personally opening weekend in Belgium is the first big test of the season. The shape is good and I’m super motivated for these first races," Wellens said in a press release issued by the team. "Earlier in the month we did some recons and tested tyre pressures on the cobbles so we feel confident we’ve done our homework in that regard. We have some strong options at the races – it will be my first race with my new teammate Nils Politt who will be a strong ally and also Rui Oliveira did a nice top-10 in Omloop last year so can be strong. The goal will be to have as many guys as possible entering the final of the races.”
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The Belgian showed tremendous form last year in these two races, going on the attack in both of them. Most notably, launching a move up the Muur de Geraardsbergen in the first one, which ultimately didn't prove successful. In Kuurne, he was also part of the winning group, but had to settle for a fifth place. The 32-year old had some strong results in his first days of racing at the Mallorca classics, and will have a leading role this spring due to the absence of Tadej Pogacar.
Alongside him will be new signing Nils Politt who the team puts confidence into performing this spring and can search for results. Rui Oliveira and Alvaro Hodeg will likely have protected rider status in Kuurne where a sprint could decide the race. Filippo Baroncini, Antonio Morgado and Michael Vink complete the lineup as supporting riders for the riders previously mentioned.
UAE Team Emirates for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad:
Filippo Baroncini, Alvaro Hodeg, Antonio Morgado, Rui Oliveira, Nils Politt, Michael Vink and Tim Wellens.
UAE Team for Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne:
Filippo Baroncini, Alvaro Hodeg, Antonio Morgado, Rui Oliveira, Nils Politt, Michael Vink and Tim Wellens
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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