{"id":2023156,"date":"2026-07-01T14:37:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T11:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2023156"},"modified":"2026-07-01T14:37:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T11:37:42","slug":"never-go-on-social-media-how-top-teams-try-to-ensure-fans-wild-tour-de-france-fever-doesnt-keep-their-star-riders-awake-at-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2023156","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Never go on social media&#8217; \u2013 How top teams try to ensure fans&#8217; wild Tour de France fever doesn&#8217;t keep their star riders awake at night"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-2000-80.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 1 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-4 h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">1<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    Tour de France team-by-team guide \u2013 Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 2 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">2<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    &#8216;Tadej keeps on surprising us&#8217; \u2013 The inside view on how UAE Team Emirates-XRG have constructed Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s assault on a fifth Tour de France\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 3 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6UVQwoEXi5RjnZGn3ZMMAP-160-80.png.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6UVQwoEXi5RjnZGn3ZMMAP-80-80.png.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">3<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    From a crucial TTT to double Alpe d&#8217;Huez \u2013 The key stages that will decide the Tour de France\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nTeams &amp; Riders\n<\/li>\n<li>\nBahrain Victorious\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>&#8216;Never go on social media&#8217; \u2013 How top teams try to ensure fans&#8217; wild Tour de France fever doesn&#8217;t keep their star riders awake at night<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nAlasdair Fotheringham <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-07-01T14:37:42Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n1 July 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Managing expectations and pressure is an increasingly important element for riders and their performances, as Bahrain Victorious&#8217; performance manager and two leaders explain to Cyclingnews<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1600-80.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-750-80.jpg.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text font-article-copy\">Bruno Armirail at the 2025 Tour de France<\/span><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-73a6b37c-273b-41ad-912c-42af32fff396\">When Lenny Martinez was asked over the winter what advice he&#8217;d give compatriot Paul Seixas about how to handle a sharply increasing weight of expectations this year \u2013 and now in the Tour de France \u2013 he barely had to think twice.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;d tell him not to listen too much or too hard to what the outside world is saying,&#8221; the Bahrain Victorious racer said. &#8220;Never go on social media and start reading what the people are saying; think about yourself and what you like as a racer; don&#8217;t get hung up about things.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-73a6b37c-273b-41ad-912c-42af32fff396-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;If you can win &#8211; great; if not, then, so be it. And finally, don&#8217;t get pulled in too many different directions at the same time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand inline-flex items-center\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] block h-[18px] w-auto shrink-0 brightness-0 invert\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"aspect-video w-full min-h-[200px] lg:min-h-[330px] relative overflow-hidden bg-black\" data-jwp-carousel-container>\n<div class=\"absolute inset-0 size-full items-center justify-center bg-white\" data-jwp-carousel-fallback><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] max-h-12 w-auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That Martinez knows what he is talking about is obvious: just a few years ago, he was being held up by home fans as France&#8217;s next big hope to re-conquer the Tour and put the host nation back at the top of the cycling world.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Now that unofficial role, and all the stress that goes with it, is centering much more on Seixas. However, no matter who the star that gets put on a pedestal, the issues that lie beneath it about managing expectations remain the same. And as top riders get younger and younger, it becomes increasingly important to ensure they have the right strategies and the right protection from their teams to shield them from excessive pressure.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Tadej keeps on surprising us&#8217; \u2013 The inside view on how UAE Team Emirates-XRG have constructed Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s assault on a fifth Tour de France<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Only winning is good enough&#8217; \u2013 Remco Evenepoel faces unreasonably high Belgian expectations at Tour de France, writes Thomas De Gendt<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-c98eb1f5-53b7-4c63-8b82-cce79867c953\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Lenny Martinez wears the mountains jersey at the 2025 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-00521980-5a20-4aab-8034-1cb4a1c7c186\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Asked what his favourite tactic is to avoid getting overwhelmed, Martinez says, &#8220;Motivation is my biggest resource. If I&#8217;m motivated and the team has lots of faith in me, whatever happens, that helps me to do better.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;They tell me to do the best I can, and if I don&#8217;t get the win, then that&#8217;s just how it is. Then if I <em>do <\/em>win, then so much the better.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Given Martinez is only 22 and set for the Tour de France for a third time this year, he recognises his squad offers him a lot of critical support in handling those expectations. And so, too, does teammate Antonio Tiberi, another key young hopeful who will carry a lot of Italy&#8217;s expectations on his shoulders this July.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;The thing I need the most from a team is tranquillity. If they transmit calm, if they show they believe in you, that&#8217;s the most important thing, because then when you have that mental stability as your base, you perform much better,&#8221; Tiberi tells <em>Cyclingnews<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;When your work is valued, and the technical support is there as well, it automatically allows you to boost your performance level. It makes you think as clearly and as well as possible. It helps the team stay calm as well.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The year of the team time trial \u2013 How teams have prepared for the Tour de France opening TTT from January to July<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France team-by-team guide \u2013 Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Jonas Vingegaard will try, but in reality, no one is likely to upset the Tadej Poga\u010dar show at the Tour de France \u2013 Philippa York analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;So the team has to give you a lot, but you have to remember to give back something to them as well. It&#8217;s always 50-50.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-two-way-street-between-rider-and-team-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A two-way street between rider and team<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-040d2c57-505d-48da-8ec4-60371316325c\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If handling that two-way street of communication and mutual confidence-building between team and rider is increasingly important, that&#8217;s where a staff member like Bahrain Victorious performance manager Rod Ellingworth can be key. And having taken on similar responsibilities at Ineos, Sky and British Cycling beforehand, Ellingworth recognises that keeping the younger riders like Martinez and Tiberi free from excessive expectations and pressure currently forms a critical part of his job.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For one thing, I don&#8217;t allow any outside influence to affect me at all,&#8221; Ellingworth says when asked to explain how he walks the fine line between keeping the pressure at bay, but not getting the riders to sleep on their laurels, either. (He too \u2013 and it&#8217;s surely no coincidence \u2013 is a keen believer of Martinez&#8217;s recommendation of not following social media at all.)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;All I&#8217;m interested in is encouraging the team around me, the staff, coaches and sports directors to do their absolute best to support the bike riders, so that&#8217;s one part of the job. Are we doing our best with what we&#8217;ve got? Do we wake up every day and do our best? Yes or no?<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Then the other side of the job is to get the riders into a position where they understand what&#8217;s expected of them, so they understand what it&#8217;s going to take, they understand the gaps that they have now to where they want to be.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;After that, then it&#8217;s about the negotiation of &#8216;What&#8217;s it going to take you? What&#8217;s going to stop you from being able to achieve that goal?'&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-0239e861-47d7-42be-b961-e6c6e4845e3f\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Antonio Tiberi <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-c90f93f2-14b8-4d29-936f-b0f4993696eb\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Originally brought in by Bahrain to work most closely with Martinez, who feels he has benefited from their relationship \u2013 &#8220;He sees lots of things I don&#8217;t,&#8221; Martinez says \u2013 Ellingworth took on a much broader role at the team at the end of 2025 to handle a lot more of the performance side. Since then, he&#8217;s been heavily involved in the process of establishing clear expectations without overstating them.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In the case of Bahrain, that began back at the first training camp for 2026, when the entire squad spent what Ellingworth calls &#8220;a massive session&#8221; regarding the country&#8217;s reasons for sponsoring the team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;When you look at what the sponsors value, it&#8217;s things like the WorldTour rankings so you can&#8217;t ignore that, either, and it helps guide us a little bit on what the expectations will be and how to tackle the season,&#8221; Ellingworth says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Then it comes to the biggest target of them all, the Tour de France. Ellingworth says that with someone like Tiberi or Martinez, part of handling the pressure in July is not even in the race: riders will manage it better if they have gone for other goals beforehand. And that strategy helps keep the team on their toes as well.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not like, we&#8217;re just gonna aim for the Tour de France, and that&#8217;s it, and you get there, you crash, and you have nothing for the season,&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;No, it&#8217;s like from day one, come on, bang, let&#8217;s go. Let&#8217;s get racing. At the end of the day, we&#8217;re a bike racing team, nothing else. More than numbers or the training, we&#8217;re a bike racing team, and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ve got to do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-lot-of-people-do-the-talk-but-it-s-about-the-action-you-take-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8216;A lot of people do the talk, but it&#8217;s about the action you take&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-44c2568e-708a-445e-97a8-af7d0776f015\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Yet if Ellingworth is working on both keeping pressure at bay and helping riders achieve their goals, it might surprise some to hear that an important component of his management of those processes is by not being lax about discipline, either.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s true that Ellingworth was also once famous back in the 2000s when he was running the British Cycling Academy for overseeing its notoriously tough &#8216;boot camps&#8217; for young riders barely in their twenties. But whilst not intended to heighten the pressure, as Ellingworth explains, both now and back then, &#8220;The riders also set their own consequences. They signed up for it. They knew exactly what it was about.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Woe betide anybody turning up late for training rides, then, which has exactly the same consequences at Bahrain as it did back at the Academy training camp. The team, having warned the riders, will leave without whoever fails to be punctual.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;There&#8217;s no bullshit in that, is there?&#8221; Ellingworth replies rhetorically when <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> asks whether he still stands by the same principles as back in the early noughties, in general, and that rule in particular.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s more about just setting expectations. I&#8217;ve been talking a lot about that with the riders, and I&#8217;ve been telling them \u2013 have some high standards for yourself. Set some rules and then let&#8217;s just go for it, because if we&#8217;re talking, a lot of people do the talk, but it&#8217;s about the action you take.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9cfe1135-fec1-4102-99a4-c37b426a8d7f\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Rod Ellingworth <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: SWPix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4a28492a-8925-46e4-b87e-2c4205938159\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Back at the Academy, Ellingworth says, &#8220;They were a group of young men you&#8217;d got to whip into shape a little bit. There&#8217;s got to be some discipline within it.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Here they&#8217;re a little bit older, but there are still rules, and they&#8217;ll still abide by the Bahrain Victorious way of doing things.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">He gives a couple of examples where he pulled riders aside during a training ride and said: &#8220;Come on, tell me why you&#8217;re doing that, I don&#8217;t agree with it.&#8221; One during what was supposedly a 15-minute all-out effort: &#8220;One rider comes past me, and he&#8217;s got his phone out.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I mean, they&#8217;re all capable of doing an effort and looking at something on their Garmin, but this guy had his phone out. Well, he explained to me what had happened, and I go &#8216;Yeah, I get it&#8217;. But I said I wanted to know and I brought him up.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I didn&#8217;t just sit and bypass it and think &#8216;Oh well, it doesn&#8217;t matter&#8217;. It <em>does <\/em>fucking matter. Because it&#8217;s about applying yourself, and also \u2013 all these lads on their phones, all the time. It&#8217;s like, no. Have a standard.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Yet it is always a two-way street for Ellingworth, to the point where he handed out an anonymous questionnaire this winter to the team&#8217;s riders. &#8220;Because I want them to know what the direction is, and I want them to be part of the decision going forward. I want them to feel happy and comfortable enough to give me that honest feedback.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"this-year-s-tour-de-france-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This year&#8217;s Tour de France<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-6a242974-c672-4e61-a513-039476f862a6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">On a specific level with Martinez, Ellingworth says, the raw material he had already shown huge potential. The Frenchman joined the squad at the beginning of 2025; he impressed with his level of progression, particularly how the young Frenchman won races in three different ways. That versatility &#8220;showed that he&#8217;s a real winner, and he&#8217;s got that killer instinct.&#8221; But Ellingworth was also impressed by Martinez&#8217;s willingness to move into a completely new kind of team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;We were really happy with how he integrated. If you think that he&#8217;s been with French teams his whole career before that, then he had the guts to come out of that and go into a very international team where of our 28 riders, we&#8217;ve got 16 different nationalities. And in 119 staff, there&#8217;s 26 nationalities too. I don&#8217;t know if there&#8217;s a more international team,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For me year one was just about getting wins on the board as early as you can, but understanding the team as well. Yet also [before Bahrain] he said he&#8217;s never had anybody talking to him about performance planning, all the &#8216;how do you get the best out of yourself, how do you take the team with you&#8217; and so on.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Slowly but surely he&#8217;s getting it, but it takes time, doesn&#8217;t it? And progression is just taking all that to another level.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So Martinez has shone in a lot of levels in 2026, yet while Ellingworth says he&#8217;s hoping for a stage in the Tour de France this year, to call last year&#8217;s Tour performance erratic would be no understatement. Dead last on stage 1 into Lille, Martinez slowly turned things around in the days and weeks to come, and that, Ellingworth says, is what makes him optimistic about the young racer for 2026.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-7cf38fd0-1dd9-4aa6-a78f-e05bfad51f92\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Lenny Martinez and Ben O&#8217;Connor at the 2025 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-f764d8a3-9de1-40ab-b916-ea321b80f626\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;The first stage of the Tour, he was in pieces. He was just not on it, and it was not physical, purely a young man sort of trying to find his way through life a little bit. Looking at him, a French rider going into the Tour, there were five or six things you&#8217;d put together and go &#8216;OK, there you go, you understand why. So God, yeah, he took a hiding at the Tour the first few days, but it just shows you his strength.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;OK, we didn&#8217;t win a stage. But he bounced back in some areas; he made mistakes in others. I said to him, &#8216;You can&#8217;t fail here, maybe it looks like you&#8217;re failing to the public, but in terms of your experience, it&#8217;s invaluable, isn&#8217;t it?&#8217; I think it&#8217;s his time in his career where he&#8217;s learning about who he is, what he can do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to Tiberi, already much better established in the GC targets and with a hugely impressive win and spell in the lead at the UAE Tour this spring, Ellingworth is equally sure of his possibilities in his Tour debut this summer.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For now, Antonio, it&#8217;s up to him. He&#8217;s got the potential, it&#8217;s all there. He finished fifth in the Giro, so he knows how to survive the three weeks. We&#8217;re all here to support him, and it&#8217;s up to him to now really commit to this and show that it&#8217;s not just potential, there&#8217;s actually something in there. And I think he&#8217;s capable of that,&#8221; Eliingworth says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I had a tough year, a special one, in 2025, lots of highs and lows, and I didn&#8217;t have the feeling I had in previous years,&#8221; Tiberi says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;There were some good moments like in Tirreno and the Tour de Pologne, but then in the big objectives of the Giro, where I crashed, and the Vuelta, where I was sick, I couldn&#8217;t perform as I wanted to.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Fortunately, I learned to handle this to take things as calmly as possible, try to be up there as much as I could and not make too many mistakes. So that was what gave me more courage and determination to look at 2026 with more willpower.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If it sounds as if Tiberi is more sure of himself, he, like Martinez, warns against the dangers of listening too much to over-expectations, but in this case, Tiberi warns against the riders themselves getting too ambitious, too soon and putting themselves under too much pressure.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not easy. You need to be a bit diplomatic and sometimes you are scared to express yourself too much, then you could get criticised or attacked, about what the objectives are, and sometimes for not getting them. Of course you want to do the best work possible, but obviously, we&#8217;re all human, too; we can have problems,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;We&#8217;re doing a sport where you have to be at 100% to get your objectives, so it&#8217;s normal that thousands of things can affect you. A normal person gets a cold, for example, and that&#8217;s it, but in our case it affects your oxygen intake. So even if it&#8217;s just five per cent, that five per cent is what, in battles like ours, can make all the difference.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As for the rider with a key position in Bahrain&#8217;s Tour hopes and coming back to the pressure he and Seixas now feel in France, Martinez says simply &#8220;I do what I can.&#8221; But he also points out that he has faced an ever-rising tide of expectations.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;People always want more and more. But if you do achieve more, then people always act surprised and say &#8216;What could he do on top of that?&#8217; Anyway, I know I have to concentrate on myself and not look at others.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I learn more from victories, because you gain in confidence. When I took a stage win like in Paris-Nice last year, for example, then I knew I could do more. Each time you win something, you realise it&#8217;s something more you can do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">And be it Paris-Nice or the Tour de France, that&#8217;s as true in one race as it is in any other.<\/p>\n<hr id=\"elk-12aaa0fd-45cd-4f2b-923c-602fb54eb597\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\n<p id=\"elk-ed9b1034-3b54-481e-9f8b-c4f0b8aaa2f3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>The world\u2019s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! <\/strong><u><strong>Find out more.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block mb-5\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<div class=\"border-b border-b-black border-solid py-2.5 text-black font-bold uppercase\">TOPICS<\/div>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<p>Road<\/p>\n<p>Lenny Martinez<\/p>\n<p>Antonio Tiberi<\/p>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__avatar-block\">\n<figure class=\"image-wrapped__wrapper\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"false\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__widthsetter\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__aspect-padding\">\n<div><source class=\"author__avatar image-wrapped__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ-140-80.jpg.webp 140w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" data-slice-image=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Alasdair Fotheringham<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__social\">\n<nav class=\"button-social-group author__social-buttons\" aria-labelledby=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">\n<div id=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">Social Links Navigation<\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for <em>Cyclingnews<\/em>, he has also written for <em>The Independent<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>The Guardian<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>ProCycling<\/em>, <em>The Express<\/em> and <em>Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Tadej keeps on surprising us&#8217; \u2013 The inside view on how UAE Team Emirates-XRG have constructed Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s assault on a fifth Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Only winning is good enough&#8217; \u2013 Remco Evenepoel faces unreasonably high Belgian expectations at Tour de France, writes Thomas De Gendt<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The year of the team time trial \u2013 How teams have prepared for the Tour de France opening TTT from January to July<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tour de France team-by-team guide \u2013 Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Jonas Vingegaard will try, but in reality, no one is likely to upset the Tadej Poga\u010dar show at the Tour de France \u2013 Philippa York analysis<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Teams &amp; Riders<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;If we have to take a step back, we will&#8217; &#8211; Despite imminent Tour de France Grand D\u00e9part on home soil, long-established Spanish ProTeam risks folding at end of 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tadej who? Paul Seixas mania is gripping the home nation ahead of the Tour de France, and the 19-year-old is fully embracing it<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Cycling is tougher than football&#8217; \u2013 Spanish soccer legend Andr\u00e9s Iniesta is not at the World Cup but at the Tour de France as he aims to make NSN a team &#8216;fans can love&#8217;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Former Alpe d&#8217;Huez stage winner Tom Pidcock confirmed to lead Pinarello-Q36.5 as versatile squad &#8216;look for opportunities every day&#8217; at Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;You can&#8217;t wallow in what could have been&#8217; \u2013 Geraint Thomas says Netcompany Ineos ready to pivot from Tour de France GC to stage hunting<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">What I hope to witness at this year&#8217;s Tour de France \u2013 The birth of Paul Seixas, the wrath of Remco and great racing every day<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Few people thought Riis and Telekom would be the ones to win&#8217; \u2013 The 1996 Tour de France was a seismic moment for cycling, but where is the triumphant squad 30 years on?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;A free mind equals fast legs&#8217; \u2013 How my mental state helped me wear the yellow jersey for two days at an unforgettable Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The year of the team time trial \u2013 How teams have prepared for the Tour de France opening TTT from January to July<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Bikes<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Win Fin, Flow Fork, Speed Sniffer: Specialized launches &#8216;fastest road bike ever made&#8217; in the S-Works Tarmac SL9<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-popularBox\" class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice popularBox slice-container-popularBox\">\n<section data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"popular-box\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">LATEST ARTICLES<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div><source class=\"popular-box__article-list__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg.jpg\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg.jpg\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" data-slice-image=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">Tadej who? Paul Seixas mania is gripping the home nation ahead of the Tour de France, and the 19-year-old is fully embracing it<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">There&#8217;s finally a new Giro d&#8217;Italia boss as former Lidl-Trek manager bags top race organisation role<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;Cycling is tougher than football&#8217; \u2013 Spanish soccer legend Andr\u00e9s Iniesta is not at the World Cup but at the Tour de France as he aims to make NSN a team &#8216;fans can love&#8217;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">Up close and personal with Matej Mohori\u010d&#8217;s custom Bianchi Specialissima RC for the Tour de France<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nTeams &amp; Riders\n<\/li>\n<li>\nBahrain Victorious\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>&#8216;Never go on social media&#8217; \u2013 How top teams try to ensure fans&#8217; wild Tour de France fever doesn&#8217;t keep their star riders awake at night<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nAlasdair Fotheringham <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-07-01T14:37:42Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n1 July 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Managing expectations and pressure is an increasingly important element for riders and their performances, as Bahrain Victorious&#8217; performance manager and two leaders explain to Cyclingnews<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1600-80.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-750-80.jpg.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text font-article-copy\">Bruno Armirail at the 2025 Tour de France<\/span><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-73a6b37c-273b-41ad-912c-42af32fff396\">When Lenny Martinez was asked over the winter what advice he&#8217;d give compatriot Paul Seixas about how to handle a sharply increasing weight of expectations this year \u2013 and now in the Tour de France \u2013 he barely had to think twice.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;d tell him not to listen too much or too hard to what the outside world is saying,&#8221; the Bahrain Victorious racer said. &#8220;Never go on social media and start reading what the people are saying; think about yourself and what you like as a racer; don&#8217;t get hung up about things.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-73a6b37c-273b-41ad-912c-42af32fff396-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;If you can win &#8211; great; if not, then, so be it. And finally, don&#8217;t get pulled in too many different directions at the same time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand inline-flex items-center\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] block h-[18px] w-auto shrink-0 brightness-0 invert\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"aspect-video w-full min-h-[200px] lg:min-h-[330px] relative overflow-hidden bg-black\" data-jwp-carousel-container>\n<div class=\"absolute inset-0 size-full items-center justify-center bg-white\" data-jwp-carousel-fallback><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] max-h-12 w-auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That Martinez knows what he is talking about is obvious: just a few years ago, he was being held up by home fans as France&#8217;s next big hope to re-conquer the Tour and put the host nation back at the top of the cycling world.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Now that unofficial role, and all the stress that goes with it, is centering much more on Seixas. However, no matter who the star that gets put on a pedestal, the issues that lie beneath it about managing expectations remain the same. And as top riders get younger and younger, it becomes increasingly important to ensure they have the right strategies and the right protection from their teams to shield them from excessive pressure.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Tadej keeps on surprising us&#8217; \u2013 The inside view on how UAE Team Emirates-XRG have constructed Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s assault on a fifth Tour de France<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Only winning is good enough&#8217; \u2013 Remco Evenepoel faces unreasonably high Belgian expectations at Tour de France, writes Thomas De Gendt<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-c98eb1f5-53b7-4c63-8b82-cce79867c953\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Lenny Martinez wears the mountains jersey at the 2025 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-00521980-5a20-4aab-8034-1cb4a1c7c186\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Asked what his favourite tactic is to avoid getting overwhelmed, Martinez says, &#8220;Motivation is my biggest resource. If I&#8217;m motivated and the team has lots of faith in me, whatever happens, that helps me to do better.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;They tell me to do the best I can, and if I don&#8217;t get the win, then that&#8217;s just how it is. Then if I <em>do <\/em>win, then so much the better.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Given Martinez is only 22 and set for the Tour de France for a third time this year, he recognises his squad offers him a lot of critical support in handling those expectations. And so, too, does teammate Antonio Tiberi, another key young hopeful who will carry a lot of Italy&#8217;s expectations on his shoulders this July.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;The thing I need the most from a team is tranquillity. If they transmit calm, if they show they believe in you, that&#8217;s the most important thing, because then when you have that mental stability as your base, you perform much better,&#8221; Tiberi tells <em>Cyclingnews<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;When your work is valued, and the technical support is there as well, it automatically allows you to boost your performance level. It makes you think as clearly and as well as possible. It helps the team stay calm as well.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The year of the team time trial \u2013 How teams have prepared for the Tour de France opening TTT from January to July<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France team-by-team guide \u2013 Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Jonas Vingegaard will try, but in reality, no one is likely to upset the Tadej Poga\u010dar show at the Tour de France \u2013 Philippa York analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;So the team has to give you a lot, but you have to remember to give back something to them as well. It&#8217;s always 50-50.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-two-way-street-between-rider-and-team-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A two-way street between rider and team<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-040d2c57-505d-48da-8ec4-60371316325c\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If handling that two-way street of communication and mutual confidence-building between team and rider is increasingly important, that&#8217;s where a staff member like Bahrain Victorious performance manager Rod Ellingworth can be key. And having taken on similar responsibilities at Ineos, Sky and British Cycling beforehand, Ellingworth recognises that keeping the younger riders like Martinez and Tiberi free from excessive expectations and pressure currently forms a critical part of his job.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For one thing, I don&#8217;t allow any outside influence to affect me at all,&#8221; Ellingworth says when asked to explain how he walks the fine line between keeping the pressure at bay, but not getting the riders to sleep on their laurels, either. (He too \u2013 and it&#8217;s surely no coincidence \u2013 is a keen believer of Martinez&#8217;s recommendation of not following social media at all.)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;All I&#8217;m interested in is encouraging the team around me, the staff, coaches and sports directors to do their absolute best to support the bike riders, so that&#8217;s one part of the job. Are we doing our best with what we&#8217;ve got? Do we wake up every day and do our best? Yes or no?<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Then the other side of the job is to get the riders into a position where they understand what&#8217;s expected of them, so they understand what it&#8217;s going to take, they understand the gaps that they have now to where they want to be.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;After that, then it&#8217;s about the negotiation of &#8216;What&#8217;s it going to take you? What&#8217;s going to stop you from being able to achieve that goal?'&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-0239e861-47d7-42be-b961-e6c6e4845e3f\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Antonio Tiberi <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-c90f93f2-14b8-4d29-936f-b0f4993696eb\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Originally brought in by Bahrain to work most closely with Martinez, who feels he has benefited from their relationship \u2013 &#8220;He sees lots of things I don&#8217;t,&#8221; Martinez says \u2013 Ellingworth took on a much broader role at the team at the end of 2025 to handle a lot more of the performance side. Since then, he&#8217;s been heavily involved in the process of establishing clear expectations without overstating them.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In the case of Bahrain, that began back at the first training camp for 2026, when the entire squad spent what Ellingworth calls &#8220;a massive session&#8221; regarding the country&#8217;s reasons for sponsoring the team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;When you look at what the sponsors value, it&#8217;s things like the WorldTour rankings so you can&#8217;t ignore that, either, and it helps guide us a little bit on what the expectations will be and how to tackle the season,&#8221; Ellingworth says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Then it comes to the biggest target of them all, the Tour de France. Ellingworth says that with someone like Tiberi or Martinez, part of handling the pressure in July is not even in the race: riders will manage it better if they have gone for other goals beforehand. And that strategy helps keep the team on their toes as well.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not like, we&#8217;re just gonna aim for the Tour de France, and that&#8217;s it, and you get there, you crash, and you have nothing for the season,&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;No, it&#8217;s like from day one, come on, bang, let&#8217;s go. Let&#8217;s get racing. At the end of the day, we&#8217;re a bike racing team, nothing else. More than numbers or the training, we&#8217;re a bike racing team, and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ve got to do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-lot-of-people-do-the-talk-but-it-s-about-the-action-you-take-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8216;A lot of people do the talk, but it&#8217;s about the action you take&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-44c2568e-708a-445e-97a8-af7d0776f015\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Yet if Ellingworth is working on both keeping pressure at bay and helping riders achieve their goals, it might surprise some to hear that an important component of his management of those processes is by not being lax about discipline, either.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s true that Ellingworth was also once famous back in the 2000s when he was running the British Cycling Academy for overseeing its notoriously tough &#8216;boot camps&#8217; for young riders barely in their twenties. But whilst not intended to heighten the pressure, as Ellingworth explains, both now and back then, &#8220;The riders also set their own consequences. They signed up for it. They knew exactly what it was about.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Woe betide anybody turning up late for training rides, then, which has exactly the same consequences at Bahrain as it did back at the Academy training camp. The team, having warned the riders, will leave without whoever fails to be punctual.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;There&#8217;s no bullshit in that, is there?&#8221; Ellingworth replies rhetorically when <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> asks whether he still stands by the same principles as back in the early noughties, in general, and that rule in particular.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s more about just setting expectations. I&#8217;ve been talking a lot about that with the riders, and I&#8217;ve been telling them \u2013 have some high standards for yourself. Set some rules and then let&#8217;s just go for it, because if we&#8217;re talking, a lot of people do the talk, but it&#8217;s about the action you take.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9cfe1135-fec1-4102-99a4-c37b426a8d7f\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Rod Ellingworth <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: SWPix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4a28492a-8925-46e4-b87e-2c4205938159\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Back at the Academy, Ellingworth says, &#8220;They were a group of young men you&#8217;d got to whip into shape a little bit. There&#8217;s got to be some discipline within it.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Here they&#8217;re a little bit older, but there are still rules, and they&#8217;ll still abide by the Bahrain Victorious way of doing things.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">He gives a couple of examples where he pulled riders aside during a training ride and said: &#8220;Come on, tell me why you&#8217;re doing that, I don&#8217;t agree with it.&#8221; One during what was supposedly a 15-minute all-out effort: &#8220;One rider comes past me, and he&#8217;s got his phone out.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I mean, they&#8217;re all capable of doing an effort and looking at something on their Garmin, but this guy had his phone out. Well, he explained to me what had happened, and I go &#8216;Yeah, I get it&#8217;. But I said I wanted to know and I brought him up.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I didn&#8217;t just sit and bypass it and think &#8216;Oh well, it doesn&#8217;t matter&#8217;. It <em>does <\/em>fucking matter. Because it&#8217;s about applying yourself, and also \u2013 all these lads on their phones, all the time. It&#8217;s like, no. Have a standard.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Yet it is always a two-way street for Ellingworth, to the point where he handed out an anonymous questionnaire this winter to the team&#8217;s riders. &#8220;Because I want them to know what the direction is, and I want them to be part of the decision going forward. I want them to feel happy and comfortable enough to give me that honest feedback.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"this-year-s-tour-de-france-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This year&#8217;s Tour de France<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-6a242974-c672-4e61-a513-039476f862a6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">On a specific level with Martinez, Ellingworth says, the raw material he had already shown huge potential. The Frenchman joined the squad at the beginning of 2025; he impressed with his level of progression, particularly how the young Frenchman won races in three different ways. That versatility &#8220;showed that he&#8217;s a real winner, and he&#8217;s got that killer instinct.&#8221; But Ellingworth was also impressed by Martinez&#8217;s willingness to move into a completely new kind of team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;We were really happy with how he integrated. If you think that he&#8217;s been with French teams his whole career before that, then he had the guts to come out of that and go into a very international team where of our 28 riders, we&#8217;ve got 16 different nationalities. And in 119 staff, there&#8217;s 26 nationalities too. I don&#8217;t know if there&#8217;s a more international team,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For me year one was just about getting wins on the board as early as you can, but understanding the team as well. Yet also [before Bahrain] he said he&#8217;s never had anybody talking to him about performance planning, all the &#8216;how do you get the best out of yourself, how do you take the team with you&#8217; and so on.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Slowly but surely he&#8217;s getting it, but it takes time, doesn&#8217;t it? And progression is just taking all that to another level.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So Martinez has shone in a lot of levels in 2026, yet while Ellingworth says he&#8217;s hoping for a stage in the Tour de France this year, to call last year&#8217;s Tour performance erratic would be no understatement. Dead last on stage 1 into Lille, Martinez slowly turned things around in the days and weeks to come, and that, Ellingworth says, is what makes him optimistic about the young racer for 2026.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-7cf38fd0-1dd9-4aa6-a78f-e05bfad51f92\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Lenny Martinez and Ben O&#8217;Connor at the 2025 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-f764d8a3-9de1-40ab-b916-ea321b80f626\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;The first stage of the Tour, he was in pieces. He was just not on it, and it was not physical, purely a young man sort of trying to find his way through life a little bit. Looking at him, a French rider going into the Tour, there were five or six things you&#8217;d put together and go &#8216;OK, there you go, you understand why. So God, yeah, he took a hiding at the Tour the first few days, but it just shows you his strength.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;OK, we didn&#8217;t win a stage. But he bounced back in some areas; he made mistakes in others. I said to him, &#8216;You can&#8217;t fail here, maybe it looks like you&#8217;re failing to the public, but in terms of your experience, it&#8217;s invaluable, isn&#8217;t it?&#8217; I think it&#8217;s his time in his career where he&#8217;s learning about who he is, what he can do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to Tiberi, already much better established in the GC targets and with a hugely impressive win and spell in the lead at the UAE Tour this spring, Ellingworth is equally sure of his possibilities in his Tour debut this summer.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For now, Antonio, it&#8217;s up to him. He&#8217;s got the potential, it&#8217;s all there. He finished fifth in the Giro, so he knows how to survive the three weeks. We&#8217;re all here to support him, and it&#8217;s up to him to now really commit to this and show that it&#8217;s not just potential, there&#8217;s actually something in there. And I think he&#8217;s capable of that,&#8221; Eliingworth says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I had a tough year, a special one, in 2025, lots of highs and lows, and I didn&#8217;t have the feeling I had in previous years,&#8221; Tiberi says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;There were some good moments like in Tirreno and the Tour de Pologne, but then in the big objectives of the Giro, where I crashed, and the Vuelta, where I was sick, I couldn&#8217;t perform as I wanted to.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Fortunately, I learned to handle this to take things as calmly as possible, try to be up there as much as I could and not make too many mistakes. So that was what gave me more courage and determination to look at 2026 with more willpower.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If it sounds as if Tiberi is more sure of himself, he, like Martinez, warns against the dangers of listening too much to over-expectations, but in this case, Tiberi warns against the riders themselves getting too ambitious, too soon and putting themselves under too much pressure.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not easy. You need to be a bit diplomatic and sometimes you are scared to express yourself too much, then you could get criticised or attacked, about what the objectives are, and sometimes for not getting them. Of course you want to do the best work possible, but obviously, we&#8217;re all human, too; we can have problems,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;We&#8217;re doing a sport where you have to be at 100% to get your objectives, so it&#8217;s normal that thousands of things can affect you. A normal person gets a cold, for example, and that&#8217;s it, but in our case it affects your oxygen intake. So even if it&#8217;s just five per cent, that five per cent is what, in battles like ours, can make all the difference.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As for the rider with a key position in Bahrain&#8217;s Tour hopes and coming back to the pressure he and Seixas now feel in France, Martinez says simply &#8220;I do what I can.&#8221; But he also points out that he has faced an ever-rising tide of expectations.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;People always want more and more. But if you do achieve more, then people always act surprised and say &#8216;What could he do on top of that?&#8217; Anyway, I know I have to concentrate on myself and not look at others.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I learn more from victories, because you gain in confidence. When I took a stage win like in Paris-Nice last year, for example, then I knew I could do more. Each time you win something, you realise it&#8217;s something more you can do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">And be it Paris-Nice or the Tour de France, that&#8217;s as true in one race as it is in any other.<\/p>\n<hr id=\"elk-12aaa0fd-45cd-4f2b-923c-602fb54eb597\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\n<p id=\"elk-ed9b1034-3b54-481e-9f8b-c4f0b8aaa2f3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>The world\u2019s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! <\/strong><u><strong>Find out more.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block mb-5\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<div class=\"border-b border-b-black border-solid py-2.5 text-black font-bold uppercase\">TOPICS<\/div>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<p>Road<\/p>\n<p>Lenny Martinez<\/p>\n<p>Antonio Tiberi<\/p>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__avatar-block\">\n<figure class=\"image-wrapped__wrapper\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"false\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__widthsetter\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__aspect-padding\">\n<div><source class=\"author__avatar image-wrapped__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ-140-80.jpg.webp 140w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" data-slice-image=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Alasdair Fotheringham<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__social\">\n<nav class=\"button-social-group author__social-buttons\" aria-labelledby=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">\n<div id=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">Social Links Navigation<\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for <em>Cyclingnews<\/em>, he has also written for <em>The Independent<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>The Guardian<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>ProCycling<\/em>, <em>The Express<\/em> and <em>Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Tadej keeps on surprising us&#8217; \u2013 The inside view on how UAE Team Emirates-XRG have constructed Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s assault on a fifth Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Only winning is good enough&#8217; \u2013 Remco Evenepoel faces unreasonably high Belgian expectations at Tour de France, writes Thomas De Gendt<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The year of the team time trial \u2013 How teams have prepared for the Tour de France opening TTT from January to July<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tour de France team-by-team guide \u2013 Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Jonas Vingegaard will try, but in reality, no one is likely to upset the Tadej Poga\u010dar show at the Tour de France \u2013 Philippa York analysis<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Teams &amp; Riders<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/b5QvCtPG95Un75CCNwGZ7S-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;If we have to take a step back, we will&#8217; &#8211; Despite imminent Tour de France Grand D\u00e9part on home soil, long-established Spanish ProTeam risks folding at end of 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tadej who? Paul Seixas mania is gripping the home nation ahead of the Tour de France, and the 19-year-old is fully embracing it<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mQfgAfcKQGN9S2SS5pZUtJ-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Cycling is tougher than football&#8217; \u2013 Spanish soccer legend Andr\u00e9s Iniesta is not at the World Cup but at the Tour de France as he aims to make NSN a team &#8216;fans can love&#8217;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tACiKA5ikM7UxGJnJspaY9-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Former Alpe d&#8217;Huez stage winner Tom Pidcock confirmed to lead Pinarello-Q36.5 as versatile squad &#8216;look for opportunities every day&#8217; at Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nrv5QvMBr5RHf9PosL9saa-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;You can&#8217;t wallow in what could have been&#8217; \u2013 Geraint Thomas says Netcompany Ineos ready to pivot from Tour de France GC to stage hunting<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mZSK2J6G442b7A6mM6KUWe-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">What I hope to witness at this year&#8217;s Tour de France \u2013 The birth of Paul Seixas, the wrath of Remco and great racing every day<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nNZdgKXADFtdt2gJKXskJT-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Few people thought Riis and Telekom would be the ones to win&#8217; \u2013 The 1996 Tour de France was a seismic moment for cycling, but where is the triumphant squad 30 years on?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JATQQHZsha48dDDKM5bVXa-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;A free mind equals fast legs&#8217; \u2013 How my mental state helped me wear the yellow jersey for two days at an unforgettable Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The year of the team time trial \u2013 How teams have prepared for the Tour de France opening TTT from January to July<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YzVReE7BYHQc5qqJbJxp5Y-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Bikes<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Win Fin, Flow Fork, Speed Sniffer: Specialized launches &#8216;fastest road bike ever made&#8217; in the S-Works Tarmac SL9<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-popularBox\" class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice popularBox slice-container-popularBox\">\n<section data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"popular-box\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">LATEST ARTICLES<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div><source class=\"popular-box__article-list__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg.jpg\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ye9EETeBWqGfGuYcyVdECg.jpg\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" data-slice-image=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">Tadej who? Paul Seixas mania is gripping the home nation ahead of the Tour de France, and the 19-year-old is fully embracing it<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">There&#8217;s finally a new Giro d&#8217;Italia boss as former Lidl-Trek manager bags top race organisation role<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;Cycling is tougher than football&#8217; \u2013 Spanish soccer legend Andr\u00e9s Iniesta is not at the World Cup but at the Tour de France as he aims to make NSN a team &#8216;fans can love&#8217;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">Up close and personal with Matej Mohori\u010d&#8217;s custom Bianchi Specialissima RC for the Tour de France<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nTeams &amp; Riders\n<\/li>\n<li>\nBahrain Victorious\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>&#8216;Never go on social media&#8217; \u2013 How top teams try to ensure fans&#8217; wild Tour de France fever doesn&#8217;t keep their star riders awake at night<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nAlasdair Fotheringham <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-07-01T14:37:42Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n1 July 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Managing expectations and pressure is an increasingly important element for riders and their performances, as Bahrain Victorious&#8217; performance manager and two leaders explain to Cyclingnews<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-73a6b37c-273b-41ad-912c-42af32fff396\">When Lenny Martinez was asked over the winter what advice he&#8217;d give compatriot Paul Seixas about how to handle a sharply increasing weight of expectations this year \u2013 and now in the Tour de France \u2013 he barely had to think twice.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;d tell him not to listen too much or too hard to what the outside world is saying,&#8221; the Bahrain Victorious racer said. &#8220;Never go on social media and start reading what the people are saying; think about yourself and what you like as a racer; don&#8217;t get hung up about things.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-73a6b37c-273b-41ad-912c-42af32fff396-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;If you can win &#8211; great; if not, then, so be it. And finally, don&#8217;t get pulled in too many different directions at the same time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand inline-flex items-center\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] block h-[18px] w-auto shrink-0 brightness-0 invert\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"aspect-video w-full min-h-[200px] lg:min-h-[330px] relative overflow-hidden bg-black\" data-jwp-carousel-container>\n<div class=\"absolute inset-0 size-full items-center justify-center bg-white\" data-jwp-carousel-fallback><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] max-h-12 w-auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That Martinez knows what he is talking about is obvious: just a few years ago, he was being held up by home fans as France&#8217;s next big hope to re-conquer the Tour and put the host nation back at the top of the cycling world.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Now that unofficial role, and all the stress that goes with it, is centering much more on Seixas. However, no matter who the star that gets put on a pedestal, the issues that lie beneath it about managing expectations remain the same. And as top riders get younger and younger, it becomes increasingly important to ensure they have the right strategies and the right protection from their teams to shield them from excessive pressure.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/s2mu99cSc9cQb8sSAxSoJR-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Tadej keeps on surprising us&#8217; \u2013 The inside view on how UAE Team Emirates-XRG have constructed Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s assault on a fifth Tour de France<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CZEVvXJSXdg39mQVz8Q7a4-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Only winning is good enough&#8217; \u2013 Remco Evenepoel faces unreasonably high Belgian expectations at Tour de France, writes Thomas De Gendt<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CR37rojAgVRbGjSjLkmE7G-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It absolutely is a game-changer&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s performance coach reveals more about his preparation, training tools and motivators ahead of the Tour de France<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-c98eb1f5-53b7-4c63-8b82-cce79867c953\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/E6raHBVStP2QmBjZjJSb3i-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Lenny Martinez wears the mountains jersey at the 2025 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-00521980-5a20-4aab-8034-1cb4a1c7c186\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Asked what his favourite tactic is to avoid getting overwhelmed, Martinez says, &#8220;Motivation is my biggest resource. If I&#8217;m motivated and the team has lots of faith in me, whatever happens, that helps me to do better.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;They tell me to do the best I can, and if I don&#8217;t get the win, then that&#8217;s just how it is. Then if I <em>do <\/em>win, then so much the better.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-R79bPwXmK82uV9JXPpF4UD slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Given Martinez is only 22 and set for the Tour de France for a third time this year, he recognises his squad offers him a lot of critical support in handling those expectations. And so, too, does teammate Antonio Tiberi, another key young hopeful who will carry a lot of Italy&#8217;s expectations on his shoulders this July.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;The thing I need the most from a team is tranquillity. If they transmit calm, if they show they believe in you, that&#8217;s the most important thing, because then when you have that mental stability as your base, you perform much better,&#8221; Tiberi tells <em>Cyclingnews<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;When your work is valued, and the technical support is there as well, it automatically allows you to boost your performance level. It makes you think as clearly and as well as possible. It helps the team stay calm as well.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JGNFQoAf8aa3pDw5s4Z5Qk-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The year of the team time trial \u2013 How teams have prepared for the Tour de France opening TTT from January to July<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYehNdGJyBUwNetTFTfRVL-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France team-by-team guide \u2013 Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vqqtZmiJMoZQD2csCZrp5V-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Jonas Vingegaard will try, but in reality, no one is likely to upset the Tadej Poga\u010dar show at the Tour de France \u2013 Philippa York analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;So the team has to give you a lot, but you have to remember to give back something to them as well. It&#8217;s always 50-50.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-two-way-street-between-rider-and-team-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A two-way street between rider and team<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-040d2c57-505d-48da-8ec4-60371316325c\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If handling that two-way street of communication and mutual confidence-building between team and rider is increasingly important, that&#8217;s where a staff member like Bahrain Victorious performance manager Rod Ellingworth can be key. And having taken on similar responsibilities at Ineos, Sky and British Cycling beforehand, Ellingworth recognises that keeping the younger riders like Martinez and Tiberi free from excessive expectations and pressure currently forms a critical part of his job.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For one thing, I don&#8217;t allow any outside influence to affect me at all,&#8221; Ellingworth says when asked to explain how he walks the fine line between keeping the pressure at bay, but not getting the riders to sleep on their laurels, either. (He too \u2013 and it&#8217;s surely no coincidence \u2013 is a keen believer of Martinez&#8217;s recommendation of not following social media at all.)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;All I&#8217;m interested in is encouraging the team around me, the staff, coaches and sports directors to do their absolute best to support the bike riders, so that&#8217;s one part of the job. Are we doing our best with what we&#8217;ve got? Do we wake up every day and do our best? Yes or no?<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Then the other side of the job is to get the riders into a position where they understand what&#8217;s expected of them, so they understand what it&#8217;s going to take, they understand the gaps that they have now to where they want to be.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;After that, then it&#8217;s about the negotiation of &#8216;What&#8217;s it going to take you? What&#8217;s going to stop you from being able to achieve that goal?'&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-0239e861-47d7-42be-b961-e6c6e4845e3f\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/N8BqDPoxWQqSJP7nNbwdHD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Antonio Tiberi <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-c90f93f2-14b8-4d29-936f-b0f4993696eb\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Originally brought in by Bahrain to work most closely with Martinez, who feels he has benefited from their relationship \u2013 &#8220;He sees lots of things I don&#8217;t,&#8221; Martinez says \u2013 Ellingworth took on a much broader role at the team at the end of 2025 to handle a lot more of the performance side. Since then, he&#8217;s been heavily involved in the process of establishing clear expectations without overstating them.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In the case of Bahrain, that began back at the first training camp for 2026, when the entire squad spent what Ellingworth calls &#8220;a massive session&#8221; regarding the country&#8217;s reasons for sponsoring the team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;When you look at what the sponsors value, it&#8217;s things like the WorldTour rankings so you can&#8217;t ignore that, either, and it helps guide us a little bit on what the expectations will be and how to tackle the season,&#8221; Ellingworth says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Then it comes to the biggest target of them all, the Tour de France. Ellingworth says that with someone like Tiberi or Martinez, part of handling the pressure in July is not even in the race: riders will manage it better if they have gone for other goals beforehand. And that strategy helps keep the team on their toes as well.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not like, we&#8217;re just gonna aim for the Tour de France, and that&#8217;s it, and you get there, you crash, and you have nothing for the season,&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;No, it&#8217;s like from day one, come on, bang, let&#8217;s go. Let&#8217;s get racing. At the end of the day, we&#8217;re a bike racing team, nothing else. More than numbers or the training, we&#8217;re a bike racing team, and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ve got to do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-lot-of-people-do-the-talk-but-it-s-about-the-action-you-take-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8216;A lot of people do the talk, but it&#8217;s about the action you take&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-44c2568e-708a-445e-97a8-af7d0776f015\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Yet if Ellingworth is working on both keeping pressure at bay and helping riders achieve their goals, it might surprise some to hear that an important component of his management of those processes is by not being lax about discipline, either.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s true that Ellingworth was also once famous back in the 2000s when he was running the British Cycling Academy for overseeing its notoriously tough &#8216;boot camps&#8217; for young riders barely in their twenties. But whilst not intended to heighten the pressure, as Ellingworth explains, both now and back then, &#8220;The riders also set their own consequences. They signed up for it. They knew exactly what it was about.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Woe betide anybody turning up late for training rides, then, which has exactly the same consequences at Bahrain as it did back at the Academy training camp. The team, having warned the riders, will leave without whoever fails to be punctual.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;There&#8217;s no bullshit in that, is there?&#8221; Ellingworth replies rhetorically when <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> asks whether he still stands by the same principles as back in the early noughties, in general, and that rule in particular.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s more about just setting expectations. I&#8217;ve been talking a lot about that with the riders, and I&#8217;ve been telling them \u2013 have some high standards for yourself. Set some rules and then let&#8217;s just go for it, because if we&#8217;re talking, a lot of people do the talk, but it&#8217;s about the action you take.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9cfe1135-fec1-4102-99a4-c37b426a8d7f\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2mpqt8zw4hpbcMJsAoMvpZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Rod Ellingworth <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: SWPix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4a28492a-8925-46e4-b87e-2c4205938159\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Back at the Academy, Ellingworth says, &#8220;They were a group of young men you&#8217;d got to whip into shape a little bit. There&#8217;s got to be some discipline within it.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Here they&#8217;re a little bit older, but there are still rules, and they&#8217;ll still abide by the Bahrain Victorious way of doing things.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">He gives a couple of examples where he pulled riders aside during a training ride and said: &#8220;Come on, tell me why you&#8217;re doing that, I don&#8217;t agree with it.&#8221; One during what was supposedly a 15-minute all-out effort: &#8220;One rider comes past me, and he&#8217;s got his phone out.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I mean, they&#8217;re all capable of doing an effort and looking at something on their Garmin, but this guy had his phone out. Well, he explained to me what had happened, and I go &#8216;Yeah, I get it&#8217;. But I said I wanted to know and I brought him up.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I didn&#8217;t just sit and bypass it and think &#8216;Oh well, it doesn&#8217;t matter&#8217;. It <em>does <\/em>fucking matter. Because it&#8217;s about applying yourself, and also \u2013 all these lads on their phones, all the time. It&#8217;s like, no. Have a standard.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Yet it is always a two-way street for Ellingworth, to the point where he handed out an anonymous questionnaire this winter to the team&#8217;s riders. &#8220;Because I want them to know what the direction is, and I want them to be part of the decision going forward. I want them to feel happy and comfortable enough to give me that honest feedback.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"this-year-s-tour-de-france-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This year&#8217;s Tour de France<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-6a242974-c672-4e61-a513-039476f862a6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">On a specific level with Martinez, Ellingworth says, the raw material he had already shown huge potential. The Frenchman joined the squad at the beginning of 2025; he impressed with his level of progression, particularly how the young Frenchman won races in three different ways. That versatility &#8220;showed that he&#8217;s a real winner, and he&#8217;s got that killer instinct.&#8221; But Ellingworth was also impressed by Martinez&#8217;s willingness to move into a completely new kind of team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;We were really happy with how he integrated. If you think that he&#8217;s been with French teams his whole career before that, then he had the guts to come out of that and go into a very international team where of our 28 riders, we&#8217;ve got 16 different nationalities. And in 119 staff, there&#8217;s 26 nationalities too. I don&#8217;t know if there&#8217;s a more international team,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For me year one was just about getting wins on the board as early as you can, but understanding the team as well. Yet also [before Bahrain] he said he&#8217;s never had anybody talking to him about performance planning, all the &#8216;how do you get the best out of yourself, how do you take the team with you&#8217; and so on.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Slowly but surely he&#8217;s getting it, but it takes time, doesn&#8217;t it? And progression is just taking all that to another level.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So Martinez has shone in a lot of levels in 2026, yet while Ellingworth says he&#8217;s hoping for a stage in the Tour de France this year, to call last year&#8217;s Tour performance erratic would be no understatement. Dead last on stage 1 into Lille, Martinez slowly turned things around in the days and weeks to come, and that, Ellingworth says, is what makes him optimistic about the young racer for 2026.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-7cf38fd0-1dd9-4aa6-a78f-e05bfad51f92\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPvtAXUcsvQBfEgn7DfViG-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Lenny Martinez and Ben O&#8217;Connor at the 2025 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-f764d8a3-9de1-40ab-b916-ea321b80f626\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;The first stage of the Tour, he was in pieces. He was just not on it, and it was not physical, purely a young man sort of trying to find his way through life a little bit. Looking at him, a French rider going into the Tour, there were five or six things you&#8217;d put together and go &#8216;OK, there you go, you understand why. So God, yeah, he took a hiding at the Tour the first few days, but it just shows you his strength.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;OK, we didn&#8217;t win a stage. But he bounced back in some areas; he made mistakes in others. I said to him, &#8216;You can&#8217;t fail here, maybe it looks like you&#8217;re failing to the public, but in terms of your experience, it&#8217;s invaluable, isn&#8217;t it?&#8217; I think it&#8217;s his time in his career where he&#8217;s learning about who he is, what he can do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to Tiberi, already much better established in the GC targets and with a hugely impressive win and spell in the lead at the UAE Tour this spring, Ellingworth is equally sure of his possibilities in his Tour debut this summer.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;For now, Antonio, it&#8217;s up to him. He&#8217;s got the potential, it&#8217;s all there. He finished fifth in the Giro, so he knows how to survive the three weeks. We&#8217;re all here to support him, and it&#8217;s up to him to now really commit to this and show that it&#8217;s not just potential, there&#8217;s actually something in there. And I think he&#8217;s capable of that,&#8221; Eliingworth says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I had a tough year, a special one, in 2025, lots of highs and lows, and I didn&#8217;t have the feeling I had in previous years,&#8221; Tiberi says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;There were some good moments like in Tirreno and the Tour de Pologne, but then in the big objectives of the Giro, where I crashed, and the Vuelta, where I was sick, I couldn&#8217;t perform as I wanted to.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Fortunately, I learned to handle this to take things as calmly as possible, try to be up there as much as I could and not make too many mistakes. So that was what gave me more courage and determination to look at 2026 with more willpower.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If it sounds as if Tiberi is more sure of himself, he, like Martinez, warns against the dangers of listening too much to over-expectations, but in this case, Tiberi warns against the riders themselves getting too ambitious, too soon and putting themselves under too much pressure.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not easy. You need to be a bit diplomatic and sometimes you are scared to express yourself too much, then you could get criticised or attacked, about what the objectives are, and sometimes for not getting them. Of course you want to do the best work possible, but obviously, we&#8217;re all human, too; we can have problems,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;We&#8217;re doing a sport where you have to be at 100% to get your objectives, so it&#8217;s normal that thousands of things can affect you. A normal person gets a cold, for example, and that&#8217;s it, but in our case it affects your oxygen intake. So even if it&#8217;s just five per cent, that five per cent is what, in battles like ours, can make all the difference.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As for the rider with a key position in Bahrain&#8217;s Tour hopes and coming back to the pressure he and Seixas now feel in France, Martinez says simply &#8220;I do what I can.&#8221; But he also points out that he has faced an ever-rising tide of expectations.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;People always want more and more. But if you do achieve more, then people always act surprised and say &#8216;What could he do on top of that?&#8217; Anyway, I know I have to concentrate on myself and not look at others.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I learn more from victories, because you gain in confidence. When I took a stage win like in Paris-Nice last year, for example, then I knew I could do more. Each time you win something, you realise it&#8217;s something more you can do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">And be it Paris-Nice or the Tour de France, that&#8217;s as true in one race as it is in any other.<\/p>\n<hr id=\"elk-12aaa0fd-45cd-4f2b-923c-602fb54eb597\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\n<p id=\"elk-ed9b1034-3b54-481e-9f8b-c4f0b8aaa2f3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>The world\u2019s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! <\/strong><u><strong>Find out more.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/teams-riders\/never-go-on-social-media-how-top-teams-try-to-ensure-fans-wild-tour-de-france-fever-doesnt-keep-their-star-riders-awake-at-night\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a2TXqrefnh7iNTXMrfDUHA-2000-80.jpg&#8221;] 1 Tour de France team-by-team guide \u2013 Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list 2 &#8216;Tadej keeps on surprising us&#8217; \u2013 The inside view on how UAE Team Emirates-XRG have constructed Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s assault on a fifth Tour de France 3 From a crucial TTT to double Alpe [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,68],"class_list":["post-2023156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-cyclingnews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2023156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2023156"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2023156\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2023156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2023156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2023156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}