Trained by Pogacar, Merckx and Moerenhout, now competing with Vingegaard and Roglic: Christen is UAE's next big thing
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Follow us on GoogleThe final weekend of the Tour of the Algarve 2025 begins on Saturday, with Jan Christen leading the GC. The 20-year-old Swiss is considered the 'next big thing' for UAE Emirates-XRG, which strongly believes in the rider's talent. After his stage victory on Alto de Foia, Christen spoke to IDLProCycling.com about his victory, his ambitions, and his comparison with teammate Tadej Pogacar.
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Cycling fans will already have known Christen for some time. In January 2022, he showed his potential for the first time by becoming the junior world cyclo-cross champion in Fayetteville, USA. His team at the time? Pogi Team UAE Generali. That's right, Tadej Pogacar's club team. Christen was the only non-Slovenian in the team's four-year existence.
From then on, he hardly competed in cyclo-cross, as did many of his successful peers. In the season following his world championship title in cyclo-cross, the son of former cyclist Josef—and brother of Q36.5 pro Fabio—won the prestigious junior race Tour du Pays Vaud in his home country and took the European title. He then finished fourth in his age category at the world championships in Wollongong.
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Christen transferred to UAE-Team Emirates via Moerenhout and Merckx
In 2023, Christen—who also did track cycling and mountain biking—started with Hagens Berman Axeon of Koos Moerenhout and Axel Merckx. However, he knew he would transfer to UAE Team Emirates after the Tour de l'Avenir. There, the then-19-year-old rider finished seventh, and a few days later, he began his WorldTour career with the Bretagne Classic.
In 2024, the talented youngster completed his first full year as a professional. After finishing second in Milano-Torino, he achieved his first professional victory in the Giro dell'Abruzzo. This was followed by victories in the Giro dell'Appennino and Prueba Villafranca in the run-up to the big goal of the year: the U23 World Championship in Zurich, in his home country.
Christen also got to experience the other side of the story to some extent. He was the favorite to win the time trial and the road race. After the time trial, he had to throw up after struggling with stomach problems for the entire race. Nevertheless, he did not lose his confidence, as was evident from his words to this site after the race.
"I am more than satisfied. This was my first year as a professional, and I am still very young, so I don't think many riders have achieved three professional victories right away. So I am more than satisfied with that. What can I improve? I'm not worried about that. If I can continue at this rate, then at some point, I will be able to compete with the best in the world. Hopefully, I can show that on Friday," he said, referring to the road race. He was the strongest in that race but sprinted too early and finished fourth.
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Christen is committed to UAE Emirates-XRG until 2030 (!)
A winter of hard work followed, during which Christen also signed a new contract with UAE that lasted until 2030 (!). "Is Christen a little Pogacar? No, he is a big Jan Christen," were the meaningful words of team leader Mauro Gianetti. Christen added: "I dream of competing for victories in grand tours and classics like Tadej Pogacar. He is a great friend and a very good person on and off the bike. I learn a lot from him. Like building muscle mass, like he did last winter."
And that power on the pedals also paid off in the Algarve. "This is another new step. It feels really good to take this victory. I must thank my teammates Joao Almeida and Antonio Morgado, who protected my attack on the last climb. Without UAE Emirates-XRG, it would not have been possible. They are also happy for me because they are good teammates. We help each other improve, which makes our team so strong," said the overjoyed Swiss.
"I felt very good at the foot of the climb and tried to race smartly to follow any moves by the big guys like Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic. At a certain point, a group went off, and I rode solo there, eventually waiting for the right moment to go," the Swiss rider said. "The Volta ao Algarve is the first real test against the big boys, so I have gained a lot of confidence here."
Read more below the photo!
Exactly six years after Pogacar, Christen really shows his skills
"Can I win more? The stage win already means a lot to me when I see the starting field here. That takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders. Joao is also close behind, so we are in a perfect position. I like time trials, so I'm going to give it my all," continued Christen, who will also be riding in several classics later this year. "For a Swiss like me, the Tour de Suisse is a dream race, but I would also describe the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège as fantastic races."
The comparison with Pogacar is easy to make. Six years ago, the Slovenian also really impressed for the first time in the Algarve. "I didn't know that he also made a name for himself here, but I do know that he rode many good races at a young age. And that is what I am doing too," said Christen. "Will I become a climber? We'll see. I also really love the classics, that's for sure. The races in the Ardennes appeal to me. But the longer climbs are also good for me." The luxury problems of a top talent.
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026