At UAE Team Emirates, the predominant policy is to invest in young cyclists. In the upcoming season, for instance, Isaac del Toro (20) and Jan Christen (19) will already be part of Tadej Pogacar’s main team.
Fifteen minutes of fame
However, UAE Team Emirates is already looking ahead and has secured a stage with a young Spaniard who experienced his 15 minutes of fame last year.
A few days before the start, Adria Pericas rode on Montrose Street, the short and steep climb, during one of the course reconnaissance laps for the World Championships in Glasgow, following in the wheel of Mathieu van der Poel.
“I had a lot of pain,” reveals Pericas
“We were climbing when Van der Poel passed like a rocket. I immediately tried to grab his wheel and exploded towards the top,” the Spaniard told MARCA. “I couldn’t say anything to him because I didn’t have time and had a lot of pain,” he joked.
Stage at UAE Team Emirates
A few months later, things are moving quickly for Pericas, who completed his first Training Camp with UAE Team Emirates.
“A reward for my good season in 2023 and for all the energy I put into it,” said the Spanish talent to the Spanish newspaper AS.
“Joxean Matxin has the same manager as me,” he says. Former professional cyclist Ángel Edo arranged for Pericas and Matxin to sit down together.
“I learned in a few days how the team operates and received a lot of help from the Catalan Marc Soler. I was surprised at how everything is organized. Really super professional. One day you see the biggest stars on television, and now you’re sitting at the table with Pogacar and Ayuso…”
