Ten Dam and Dekker see Del Toro as UAE’s secret weapon: "Also good for Pogacar"

Speaking on the Live Slow Ride Fast, the pair looked ahead to the first Monument of the year, which will be raced on Saturday. “This is the only race that becomes even more exciting when Pogacar is in it,” Ten Dam laughed. “Because he has to blow the race apart so early — already on the Cipressa — otherwise he has no chance. I think it’s the same in Roubaix, by the way.”

UAE Team Emirates-XRG will once again put all their chips on Pogacar, but Dekker still sees a weakness in the team. “In recent years, UAE have not exactly shown themselves to be a tactical miracle team from the car. Of course, it’s easier to win races when you have the best riders, but they’ve already lost a Tour de France from the team car once. And last year’s Giro too — that was recent enough that you can say they simply gave it away.”

That said, the team won 97 races in 2025, and they are already up to 16 victories this year. “They’ve become even better,” Dekker added. “The advantage is that Del Toro has become more mature and stronger. The numbers are there, and I have the feeling the balance is beginning to shift: Pogacar can now also be happy if Del Toro wins, although maybe not completely yet.”

Del Toro had already said earlier that he was fully prepared to ride in support of the world champion, but Ten Dam would much rather see UAE operate with dual leadership. “If I were a sports director, I’d really be stressing to Pogacar that the team increases its chances by also playing the Del Toro card — and maybe even his own chances too. If Mathieu starts to get nervous at some point and has to close down Del Toro, that’s good for you as well.”

Del Toro has already won five times this season, with two stage wins and the overall title at the UAE Tour, plus a stage win and the overall at Tirreno-Adriatico. The Mexican now leads the UCI world ranking and seems to have taken another step compared to last year. He finished third at Strade Bianche, although he had to let teammate Pogacar go early there. Milan-Sanremo, however, is a very different race. Del Toro’s recent form and UAE’s options for Sanremo have also been a live theme on IDL Procycling in recent days.

That is why Dekker would like to see UAE Team Emirates-XRG put Van der Poel under pressure with two leaders. “Mathieu has to chase everything down. He’s already won Sanremo twice: what does second place really mean to him? Then Del Toro rides away and he doesn’t react. The race is so short, and if anyone can read it, it’s him. There are really only two wheels that matter: Del Toro and Pogacar. If it’s not those two, then those two still have to sit up as well.”

But that numerical advantage could also backfire on Pogacar and Del Toro. Ten Dam explained how. “Say Del Toro gets away between the Cipressa and the Poggio. Mathieu and Tadej start looking at each other and think: this is it then, let him go. That would actually be annoying for UAE, because then Del Toro gets brought back just in time and someone like Jasper Philipsen or Wout van Aert could win.”

On top of that, Van der Poel proved again last year that he is still the man to beat. Add in his outstanding Tirreno-Adriatico, and Del Toro and Pogacar will still have a huge job on their hands against the former world champion. “But Mathieu also hasn’t often been put under this much pressure by one opponent,” Ten Dam said. “These two are so evenly matched that they make each other better.”