Matxin and UAE Emirates XRG: Tadej Pogacar Will Make Even More Progress in 2026
Can Tadej Pogačar get even better? UAE Emirates XRG team manager Joxean Fernández (better known as 'Matxin') addressed this question extensively in the Spanish newspaper Marca. His expectation for the world champion in the 2026 season is loud and clear: "In my opinion, he will make even more progress this year."
"His age ensures that he improves in every aspect," Matxin explains. "The maturity and experience he gains each year make him better. They help him get to know himself better, train smarter, and manage his efforts more effectively. He has no weak points, but if he did, I wouldn’t reveal them so his rivals can’t take advantage," he laughs.
Expectations run high at UAE Emirates XRG and for Pogačar. "He is heading into a season with big goals, and we hope we can all support him to achieve these goals and that he can also help us," says his sporting director.
First comes a classics campaign including Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and the Ardennes Classics, followed by the Tour de France in the summer. "He is such a versatile rider, perhaps the most versatile I have ever seen. He is one of the few cyclists in the world who starts the five monuments as a favorite and also competes for victory in other, completely different races," Matxin states.
"Actually, his weight doesn’t change much during the season. It is true that in the summer he becomes more muscular due to race pace and heat, but overall his physique doesn’t vary much between spring and summer," he continues. "With someone like Tadej, you don’t worry about half a kilo extra, especially not at the start of the year."
With a rolling contract through 2030, we’re not done with Pogačar yet. "He still has many years ahead, very good years," Matxin expects. "Every season will be different, but we will do everything to make sure Tadej gets better every year. We know this is very difficult because the level is very high, but this year he has made some progress again."
