Matxin: 'I am convinced that Tadej Pogacar will do even better than last year'
'If there was ever a year to test him, it was thꦗis year'

As 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tadej Pogačar this year attempts to become the first rider to do the Giro d'Italia-168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tour de France double since Marco Pantani in 1998, his 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:UAE Team Emirates sports manager Joxean Matxin haꦯs said that the Slovenian "will do even better than lಌast year".
The Slovenian will make his 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Giro d'Italia debut this May, combining the new challenge with what looks set to be a four-way battle with 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Jonas Vingegaard, Primož Roglič, and Remco Evenepoel in July.
His♍ 2023 campaign saw him take victories at the Tour of Flanders, Il Lombardia, Paris-Nice, La Fl&e♏grave;che Wallonne, and Amstel Gold Race as well as finishing second at the Tour de France behind Vingegaard.
Preparation for the Tour was heavily disrupted by a broken wrist suffered at 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Liège-Bastogne-Liège, however, so Pogačar will hope to avoid similar pitfalls as he tries to do what no rider has in 26 years.
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"He will do even bettജer than last year, I am convinced," Matxin told Spanish sports paper . "He is our unique leader fo🌺r all his merits. We know that he is an absolute guarantee for the Tour, even if this year he will also do the Giro.
"He won't race so much before going to Italy and he will arrive at the Tour with 31 days ꧒of competition. If there was ever a year to test him, it was this year. I think the rivals are more💞 important than the route."
Pogačar's limited schedule in the build-up to the two Grand Tours will see him return to Liège in April and take on Strade Bianche and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Milan-San Remo in March. His only stage race ahead of the Giro will be the Volta a Catalunya, while he won😼't race during the 34 days separating the Giro and Tour💃.
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Matxin said his UAE squad have started 2024 "a little calmer than last year", with several riders pre-planne🥂d to lead the team at each major race through the spring. "Everything is structured," he said.
"This year we started a little calmer than last because the idea was not to start at full throttle," said Matxin. "At the Tour Down Under, we had Jay Vine, but the surprise of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Isaac del Toro arose. The idea is to have 𒉰a bl🌱ock for each race and two leaders, in many cases up to three.
"For example, now in Valencia, we will have Pavel Sivakov and Felix Großschartner; in the Algarve, Marc Hirschi and João Almeida; in Oman, Del Toro and Adam Yates; at the UAE Tour, Finn Fisher-Black and Rafał Majka. Everything is structured.
"In the Classics, we expect a lot from Nils Politt, together w☂ith other riders who will have to give a little bit more."
Matxin said that the extensive planning through the spring – similar to Pogačar's fully mapped-out season plan – will let each rider know their role well in advance so that all can more easily prepare to achieve what is expected of them.
"I reveal the block in advance because it's clear to me. It will al🅷low us an﷽ important tactical variable in the races," he said.
"The only doubts will arise about possible changes due to crashes or illness. It's also go🌺od for them – they know in advance, [we can plan] the altitude blocks... We have to speak clearly with the riders and tell them what is expected of each of them."

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, she had written for numerous major publicat✨ions in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur. She writes and edits at Cyclingnews as well as running newsletter, social media, and how to watch campaigns.