The UAE Team Emirates team is focused on the Tour de France. Adam Yates, after his victory at the Tour of Oman, mentioned that the plan will be to make Tadej Pogacar a priority. However, Yates believes he has a Grand Tour victory on his way.
“Sure, why not? I still feel good and I feel like I’m riding at a super high level. Later in the year, I will normally get my chance at the Vuelta”, shared the Briton with Dutch website Wielerflits. “Everything will depend on how I feel after a difficult Tour. You never know. If you tell yourself you can never win, then you shouldn’t start. If you believe, a lot can be done.”
Yates’ future and relationship with Pogacar
Yates used the Tour of Oman as preparation for the UAE Tour, which is a big goal for the team, and will then compete in Tirreno-Adriatico. He will have several leadership opportunities, but he is aware that when the Tour de France arrives, he will at most be a second option for the team.
“No, the Tour is all about Tadej,” he declares. “My goal doesn’t change compared to this year: I will try to be the last man in the mountains for him. But we will be there with a very good team overall. If there is a possibility of maintaining my position in the rankings, why not? You can always put some extra pressure on the other teams with that.”
Pogacar never asks to slow down
This, despite Pogacar’s plans to race the Giro d’Italia. Both finished on the Tour podium last year, behind Jonas Vingegaard. Yates talks about his relationship with the Slovenian:
“We have a good relationship, even if we don’t hang out together very often. But when we’re on the road together, every time we do well.”
“He is very easy to work with. Everywhere he goes, he goes with everything. If I’m in front of him, you’ll never hear him say something like ‘slow down’ or ‘take it easy’. It’s always ‘more, more, more’. This motivates me to put even more power into the pedals.”
