“Your biggest opponent is yourself” - Tadej Pogacar's right-hand man offers advice to the next generation

After 14 seasons in the professional peloton, Tim Wellens has experienced just about everything cycling can throw at a rider. From leading Lotto in the Classics to becoming one of Tadej Pogacar's most trusted lieutenants at UAE Team Emirates – XRG, the 35-year-old Belgian has built a career around winning races and helping others do the same.

Now, speaking ahead of the BEKING charity criterium in Monaco on 29 November, Wellens has shared the advice he would give to youngsters hoping to follow in his footsteps, drawing on a career that has taken him to victories at all three Grand Tours.

"Embrace and enjoy every moment of cycling. Get stronger every year and remember that your biggest opponent is yourself," Wellens said in comments published by TuttoBiciWeb.

During more than a decade at Lotto, Wellens established himself as one of the peloton's most accomplished attacking specialists, winning stages at both the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana, along with multiple overall titles at the Eneco Tour and its subsequent incarnations.

His move to UAE in 2023 brought greater responsibility for supporting Pogacar, but hardly ended his own ambitions. In 2025, Wellens claimed his first Tour de France stage victory, completing his collection of stage wins across all three Grand Tours. He has continued to deliver in 2026, winning the Clasica Jaen in February before securing overall victory at the Tour of Britain in September.

Asked what first drew him to cycling, however, the Belgian's thoughts went back much further than his professional career. "I remember going on cycling holidays with my parents when I was a child. It was wonderful," he recalled.

Wellens will be among the professional riders gathering in Monaco for the sixth edition of BEKING, an event combining racing, charity fundraising and activities designed to bring children closer to the sport's biggest names. "This is the only race where all the riders can enjoy each other's company, unlike in a WorldTour race," he explained.

The Belgian also has a personal connection to the event through Matteo Trentin, one of its driving forces and a former teammate of Pogacar at UAE. "I have a lot of respect for Matteo and I like him, the event is close to home and, above all, it's for a good cause," Wellens said.

Pogacar and his partner Urska Zigart have also confirmed their participation in the 29 November event at Port Hercule. For Pogacar, the appearance is particularly notable, with BEKING set to mark his first race-like outing since the serious crash at the Vuelta a Espana that brought his 2026 season to a premature end.

Alongside the professional criteriums, organisers will raise funds for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation and Fight AIDS, with the event also featuring opportunities for youngsters to meet and ride alongside professional cyclists. A new children's ambassador programme has been introduced for 2026, giving the next generation a more prominent role in an event that brings some of cycling's biggest stars together away from the pressures of the WorldTour calendar.