Sjoerd Bax leaves Pogacar and UAE with mixed feelings: "Sometimes felt I was stronger than my teammates"

Sjoerd Bax spent two seasons having a great time at UAE Team Emirates, but the 28-year-old Dutchman is choosing a new path in 2025. At Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Bax will be a key part of the team since he mainly worked for others in UAE. He thinks more is possible, or at least that he says in conversation with IDLProCycling.com.

Bax forced a transfer to UAE Team Emirates in 2022 by winning the Coppa Agostoni in service of Alpecin-Deceuninck and adding a stage in the Tour de Langkawi. He climbed well and had a final jump, and according to the million-dollar formation from the Emirates, the 1.85-meter tall man from Gorinchem also had a chance in the classic spring.

Therefore, he worked through a complete classics campaign, during which he had to get used to it. Bax has not yet participated in a big tour but has assisted big man Tadej Pogacar several times in one-day events. He won the Trofeo Matteotti but crashed hard in the Tour of Lombardy, breaking his thigh. His recovery took months, even though he began racing at half-strength as early as February. Bax logically fell behind and thus leaves UAE Team Emirates feeling that - if fit - there might have been more things possible.

Read the Q&A with Sjoerd Bax below the photo.

Sjoerd Bax had hoped for more opportunities at UAE Team Emirates

You are leaving UAE Team Emirates; what have the past two seasons been like?

"It has been a great period. Looking back on it now, I will also miss the team. It is a nice group, and I have participated in some great races. A period with ups and downs, but I'm leaving with a good feeling."

I spent two winters with you in December and then you were very ambitious. Were you able to get everything you would have liked out of it - considering the physical setbacks? Or do they still not quite know who Sjoerd Bax is in the UAE?

I got the maximum out of it, but this season I have to ride up front in races like GranPiemonte, whereas two years ago I was winning or riding in the top ten. Now, I am the first to ride in the lead, so with more freedom, I might have been able to turn it into results. That will come next year then.

If I hear you like this, have you already counted on that a bit in UAE?

"In the biggest races, I think riding at the front with such great leaders is logical and nice. But in smaller races, I sometimes felt I was stronger than my teammates. But especially now that I am leaving, those roles are sometimes slightly switched."

Have you still had an offer from UAE Team Emirates?

"I could have stayed, yes. Going to another team was just sporting and financially more attractive."

What do you hope to achieve at Q36.5?

"To win the very biggest races, which is very difficult. But there, I hope for a more free role in the breakaway. In the smaller races, I hope to compete for the results. I got that chance once or twice a year now and maybe thirty times next year. In 2023, I was only given one race (the Trofeo Matteotti, ed.), and I won. It will be a great year if I keep up that percentage in 2025!"

Has racing among all those big stars grown accustomed to you?

"I got used to it, but it's remarkable when you get off the bus and see how crowded it is with Tadej and his rainbow jersey. The team management also stresses that we must enjoy this because Tadej might be the best rider ever. You think about that sometimes but shouldn't make it too special."

Now, Pogacar is always laughing, but this week in Tre Valli Varesine, we saw him standing in front of the peloton, saying, "Until here and no further." Did you experience that side of him as well?

"That didn't surprise me, no. Tadej is a figure who dares to say what's on his mind. If the outfit isn't right, he's one of the first to point that out."

Have you improved in that culture in UAE?

"I don't think so. It's not that UAE Team Emirates has special trainers or methods. I have the same coach as Pogacar, but if I compare it to my coach at Alpecin-Deceuninck, I didn't get better there. It's not higher mathematics, of course. Because of the injury, I missed the build-up to the season this year and mentally had to get over the crash. I have only dared to take a descent properly again for a few months."

Are you still suffering from anything, in terms of injuries?

"In the last races, a little bit, but I think that also has to do with the end of the season."

You will change the frontman from Tadej Pogacar to Vincenzo Nibali in 2025. Have you spoken to him yet?

"No, not yet! Will he be there in Oosterhout soon for our first team meeting? We just have our service course in the Netherlands, so that's convenient."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: b.vanderploeg@indeleiderstrui.nl)