Team NSN free from its demons? Not at all, says Dutch journalist: 'Adams still has very close ties'

Tadej Pogacar has ruled the peloton with an iron fist for years, and at times he appears untouchable. But in reality, he is just a friendly guy. Right? Dutch analist Thijs Zonneveld does acknowledge that the world champion carries a sharp edge. And he has plenty of information about Team NSN, which seems to have much closer ties to its Israeli origin as it might appear.

Pogacar was better than ever this year, breaking new records and delivering seemingly impossible solo rides. But it demands a lot from the Slovenian, as he has often pointed out himself. Zonneveld sees the world champion pushing the limits. "Over the past year, we’ve seen him hit his ceiling in terms of what he can handle in one season," he says in the podcast In de Waaier.

Earlier, the rider himself had suggested that his career would not last much longer, but later clarified: his retirement certainly won’t come before 2030, the year his contract expires. Zonneveld is pleased about that development. "The most beautiful thing is always when he’s beaten on his own merits, by the next generation. That’s always the best, right? When the champion is finally defeated by those coming after him."

The Dutchman brings up the retirement of Lance Armstrong, who stepped away at his peak after winning his seventh Tour. The Texan did return later, of course, but little remained of the once-invincible Boss. The mafia-style practices, however, continued to hang around the American’s name. That is not something Zonneveld sees with Pogacar, but the Slovenian can still show his teeth from time to time.

Juan Ayuso recently left UAE Team Emirates – XRG, and the BEAT Cycling sporting director believes Pogacar played a significant role in that departure. "What he did with Ayuso, I thought crossed the line," he states. The four-time Tour winner may come across as gentle, but he also has a very large ego, he says. "Over the past two years, you see that ego surfacing a lot more. But if we’re comparing him to Armstrong, of course, there is absolutely no comparison."

Zonneveld also zooms in on Team NSN. Israel – Premier Tech disappeared from the peloton and switched to Swiss sponsors, while team owner Sylvan Adams also stepped back. In doing so, the outfit said goodbye to the Israeli identity that had come under heavy pressure in recent months. A completely fresh beginning, right? Well…

Zonneveld doubts that is truly the case. Especially when he looks at new sponsor NSN, which was founded by footballer Andrés Iniesta. "That party cannot possibly have enough money to take over the full sponsorship. It strongly looks as though Adams has very close ties to the Swiss investment bank, and that his stake in the team is still running through that bank."

"At such a late stage, it’s incredibly difficult to find a new sponsor — especially for a team that’s been under so much scrutiny," the analyst explains. "The only way is for Adams, as a billionaire, to cover a large part of the bill himself. But how long does he still find that fun, paying for all this while he’s not allowed to claim anything or project a political message anymore?"

It also has major consequences for Derek Gee. The Canadian terminated his contract with Israel – Premier Tech, and the team has since filed a significant damages claim against him. With the new sponsors in place, the case suddenly looks very different. "It becomes much harder for him. Then he simply has a valid contract. That case becomes a lot harder to win."