Tim Wellens to ride Tour de France in support of Tadej Pogacar

After riding in the colours of Lotto Soudal for the entirety of his career so far, 2023 will see Tim Wellens join UAE Team Emirates. According to reports one of his primary goals in the upcoming season will be to help Tadej Pogacar regain the Yellow Jersey at the Tour de France.

Having previously started 4 editions of the Tour de France, the 31-year-old has proven Grand Tour calibre. A stage winner at both the Vuelta a Espana and the Giro d'Italia, Wellens aim for the 2023 Tour will be more team orientated than he's perhaps been used to in recent years as Tadej Pogacar looks to reclaim the Yellow Jersey he lost to Jonas Vingegaard earlier this year.

Currently training in Alicante, Spain, Wellens will be hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 2022 season by his lofty standards. His highlights for the year did include victory at Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana and a stage win at the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var. 

As the season went on both Wellens and Lotto Soudal found good results harder to come by, with the team eventually being relegated and losing their UCI World Tour status. As mentioned 2023 brings with it a fresh start for Wellens, one he hopes will get him back to his best.