“We had four leaders for the Ardennes and we’ve lost three” – UAE ravaged by injuries admits Joxean Matxin, as crisis disrupts Classics plans

UAE Team Emirates - XRG head into the Ardennes Classics facing a significant setback, with team boss Joxean Matxin confirming that a series of crashes and physical issues have disrupted their plans at a crucial point in the season.

Speaking in conversation with Bici.Pro following the Itzulia Basque Country, Matxin outlined the scale of the problem. “We had four leaders for the Ardennes, and we’ve lost three.”

It is a stark assessment. A team that had expected to approach the Ardennes with multiple options is now preparing with a heavily reduced leadership group.

Among those ruled out is Isaac Del Toro, who abandoned Itzulia after a crash. While the incident initially appeared more serious, he will miss the Ardennes block. He is joined on the sidelines by Jan Christen and Jhonatan Narvaez, removing three of the riders the team had earmarked as leaders.

The issue, however, goes far beyond those names. “In total, we have 14 riders who are not at their best or are out,” Matxin added.

For a team built on depth, that number carries real weight. UAE have spent recent seasons assembling one of the strongest and most complete squads in the peloton, with multiple leaders capable of winning across different terrains. Yet even with those resources, the current situation leaves them facing the same reality as any other team hit by a run of crashes and illness. Numbers thin quickly, options disappear, and carefully built plans have to be rewritten.

That figure reflects a broader strain across the squad. UAE have already had to adjust race programmes earlier this season due to crashes, and the effects are now being felt heading into one of the most important phases of the spring.

The Ardennes had been a block where the team’s depth was expected to make the difference. With multiple leaders available, UAE would have had the flexibility to race aggressively and adapt to different scenarios. Instead, the situation is far more constrained.

Matxin’s comments underline that shift clearly, with the team now forced to rethink how it approaches races that typically reward depth as much as individual strength.

Despite the setbacks, UAE still arrive with quality in their ranks, but the margin for error is now far smaller.

The Ardennes Classics are rarely straightforward, and without their full complement of leaders, UAE are likely to find themselves reacting more than dictating. That represents a notable change in dynamic for a team that has built much of its success this season on control and numbers.