“We don’t weigh our food in December”: Belgian champion Rune Herregodts on why UAE Team Emirates avoids extreme discipline early in the year
Cycling
Barely a month after winning the Belgian national title, Rune Herregodts admits life in the tricolour jersey has changed dramatically. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider has become far more recognisable both on and off the bike, while the jersey has also shone a spotlight on the often-overlooked work he performs as one of Tadej Pogacar's domestiques.
Belgian champion enjoying the spotlight despite added pressure
Speaking on the Domestique Hotseat podcast, Herregodts explained how quickly his national title transformed his daily life. "For sure, I feel the difference."
Training in Livigno, Belgian fans recognised him immediately, while autograph requests and photographs have become far more common at races. Although he enjoys interacting with supporters, particularly younger fans, the increased attention has required some adjustment.
"It's a super nice victory, but it also brings a bit of expectation. If you get dropped or have a bad day and the camera is there, then you would have liked to have a neutral jersey."
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Whenever that pressure begins to weigh on him, Herregodts reminds himself what earned him the jersey in the first place. "I just need to remember that I got a super nice win. That's more important than those few moments where you think, 'Shit, I want to be more anonymous.'"
The Belgian also confirmed that his future almost certainly lies away from UAE Team Emirates - XRG, with discussions ongoing over his next destination. "Normally, I will change teams."
Negotiations are progressing, with a decision expected soon. "We're still speaking with a few teams for next year. In the coming weeks it will become clearer, or we will make the decision about which team it will be."
Herregodts won the first stage of Vuelta a Andalucía 2022
The reality behind UAE's success
Herregodts also offered an interesting insight into the environment inside UAE Team Emirates XRG, acknowledging that financial resources help attract some of the world's best riders. "They have a good budget. They can make a good offer. We can't ignore this. We have more spending power."
However, he pushed back against the idea that the team constantly operates at maximum intensity. "We don't have crazy interval sessions and we don't weigh our food in December at training camp. We just do good training and eat good food. So early in the season, we try not to be already in overdrive."
Instead, he says the focus is on maintaining balance throughout the year. "I found a bit of balance. Doing a lot of things really well, but always keeping a bit of margin. This way, it’s much easier to be consistent throughout the whole year."
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Herregodts also reflected on how performance gains have changed the sport, arguing that many innovations once considered competitive advantages have now become basic requirements. Altitude camps provide one example.
"In the past, when you went on altitude, you gained on the competitors. Now, if you don't go on altitude, you lose."
The same applies to heat training. “Then it was a gain, and now it’s a loss if you don’t do it. If you’re on the mountain for three weeks, you’re not thinking, now I have an edge. You’re thinking, okay, now I just did the basics.”
Equipment has become equally important. Herregodts estimates that an aerodynamic road bike can save between 20 and 30 watts compared to a climbing bike when travelling at around 50 km/h.
“These are savings you can never out train. In the end, we always pedal as hard as we can, and with an aero bike you just go an inch faster. We are all optimised, and then we go really fast. The speed of getting faster gets slower, but we still get faster always.”
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
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santiagobenites14-11-2026 - Indeed! A reluctant gift maybe. Even more reluctant gift from Roglic! Tho I can’t see that Rog would have beaten Ving anyway.Lozza14-11-2026
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