Belgian champion Tim Wellens Chases His Ultimate Dream Moment This Spring
Belgian champion Tim Wellens kicks off his season in Spain this weekend. The 34-year-old rider from UAE Emirates starts on Friday in the Tour of Murcia and will then race the Ruta del Sol next week. He has already won six stages and one overall classification in that race in the past. But it is mainly later this spring that the Belgian champion wants to make his mark, whether or not alongside world champion Tadej Pogačar. He tells this, among other things, to WielerFlits.
The always friendly Belgian is following a copy-paste program this spring compared to last year. “Although now in the classics with the Belgian tricolor,” he smiles broadly. “That will be very special. I am really looking forward to it because I enjoy every day wearing this champion’s jersey. Even during training, people remind me of it, just like my stage win in the recent Tour de France, by the way. I underestimated how much it moves people. Now I come home and feel like everyone knows me. People stop me during training to take a photo.”
“That’s new to me,” Wellens continues. “The Tour is still above everything. Even people who don’t follow cycling watch the Tour. I was much less quickly recognized or approached on the street for that stage win. Now when I walk through town, it’s completely different. I find that enjoyable. At the level Tadej is at, that’s not the case. Many people tell me that the Belgian champion’s jersey is the most beautiful. I am proud of that. In the race, it won’t change my tactics. I might stand out more now, but even without the jersey, they won’t let me get away for two minutes.”
Gluttonous Pogačar
That brings us to the spring classics, as Belgian champion, which Wellens is so looking forward to. “I hope to continue the streak of recent years where I’ve always won at least one race each season. If I may dream, I would love to win a classic in the tricolor jersey. Of course, I want that every year, but now it would be especially meaningful. Is the chance bigger with or without Tadej? He was there in the Tour as well. It’s not like I have no chance to win when Tadej is present. But yes, it is easier to ride my own plan then.”
Still, the world champion is running a narrow program this spring so far, with only major events. “Every year we’re surprised again that he’s even better than the previous season. I myself am mainly amazed by how mentally motivated he stays. Like everyone else, it doesn’t come naturally to him. He keeps working hard, even though he could still win races if he worked a bit less. But he always remains very professional and very motivated. Tadej always says it’s very difficult to live 110% for your sport all year round. So he does that 90% of the time.”
In that regard, Wellens calls his leader an example. The Slovenian - who starts his season early March in Strade Bianche - has changed the racing landscape. “He has shown what’s possible. Previously, when I raced the Walloon classics, it was very clear: combining that trio with the Flemish classics was not possible. Tadej rewrites the rules a little on how it used to be. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Tour de France winner competing in the classics. Tadej changes what we think is possible, a bit unprecedented.”
True enthusiast
Wellens will remain by Pogačar’s side for at least the next two years, as the Belgian signed for two more years with UAE Emirates XRG. “For me, that was a given, although I want to clear something up. It used to be that this team paid high salaries because riders didn’t want to come here. Now it’s the other way around. Everyone wants to ride for our team. While the salaries are not all as high as people think. I think that surprises people. It’s no longer the case that riders coming here choose for the money.”
“For me, money is not important, in any case,” the Belgian champion continues. “I just want to be happy at the team. The older you get, the more you realize that. There is an excellent atmosphere within the team. If everyone didn’t perform as well as we do, everyone would still get along well. I personally feel mentally and physically fresh, even though I’m the second oldest rider on the team. At the same time, I don’t realize that I’ll already celebrate my 35th birthday this year. I feel the same age as my teammates, while António Morgado is really fifteen years younger.”
Near the end of his current contract, Wellens will be 36.5 years old. Time to retire? Far from it. “Hopefully not!” he laughs. “I would love to race for a very long time. But I also think you always realize when the end is coming. If it’s cold and wet in December, I still train with pleasure. I have no problem with that. Nor with taking risks in finales when I need to be positioned where I should be. If you no longer have that hunger for training or are afraid in the peloton, then the end is near. That can happen very quickly. But I don’t feel those signs yet.”
