Trained by Pogacar, Merckx and Moerenhout, now competing with Vingegaard and Roglic: Christen is UAE's next big thing

The final weekend of the Tour of the Algarve 2025 begins on Saturday, with Jan Christen leading the GC. The 20-year-old Swiss is considered the 'next big thing' for UAE Emirates-XRG, which strongly believes in the rider's talent. After his stage victory on Alto de Foia, Christen spoke to IDLProCycling.com about his victory, his ambitions, and his comparison with teammate Tadej Pogacar.

Cycling fans will already have known Christen for some time. In January 2022, he showed his potential for the first time by becoming the junior world cyclo-cross champion in Fayetteville, USA. His team at the time? Pogi Team UAE Generali. That's right, Tadej Pogacar's club team. Christen was the only non-Slovenian in the team's four-year existence.

From then on, he hardly competed in cyclo-cross, as did many of his successful peers. In the season following his world championship title in cyclo-cross, the son of former cyclist Josef—and brother of Q36.5 pro Fabio—won the prestigious junior race Tour du Pays Vaud in his home country and took the European title. He then finished fourth in his age category at the world championships in Wollongong.

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Christen transferred to UAE-Team Emirates via Moerenhout and Merckx

In 2023, Christen—who also did track cycling and mountain biking—started with Hagens Berman Axeon of Koos Moerenhout and Axel Merckx. However, he knew he would transfer to UAE Team Emirates after the Tour de l'Avenir. There, the then-19-year-old rider finished seventh, and a few days later, he began his WorldTour career with the Bretagne Classic.

In 2024, the talented youngster completed his first full year as a professional. After finishing second in Milano-Torino, he achieved his first professional victory in the Giro dell'Abruzzo. This was followed by victories in the Giro dell'Appennino and Prueba Villafranca in the run-up to the big goal of the year: the U23 World Championship in Zurich, in his home country.

Christen also got to experience the other side of the story to some extent. He was the favorite to win the time trial and the road race. After the time trial, he had to throw up after struggling with stomach problems for the entire race. Nevertheless, he did not lose his confidence, as was evident from his words to this site after the race.

"I am more than satisfied. This was my first year as a professional, and I am still very young, so I don't think many riders have achieved three professional victories right away. So I am more than satisfied with that. What can I improve? I'm not worried about that. If I can continue at this rate, then at some point, I will be able to compete with the best in the world. Hopefully, I can show that on Friday," he said, referring to the road race. He was the strongest in that race but sprinted too early and finished fourth.

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Christen is committed to UAE Emirates-XRG until 2030 (!)

A winter of hard work followed, during which Christen also signed a new contract with UAE that lasted until 2030 (!). "Is Christen a little Pogacar? No, he is a big Jan Christen," were the meaningful words of team leader Mauro Gianetti. Christen added: "I dream of competing for victories in grand tours and classics like Tadej Pogacar. He is a great friend and a very good person on and off the bike. I learn a lot from him. Like building muscle mass, like he did last winter."

And that power on the pedals also paid off in the Algarve. "This is another new step. It feels really good to take this victory. I must thank my teammates Joao Almeida and Antonio Morgado, who protected my attack on the last climb. Without UAE Emirates-XRG, it would not have been possible. They are also happy for me because they are good teammates. We help each other improve, which makes our team so strong," said the overjoyed Swiss.

"I felt very good at the foot of the climb and tried to race smartly to follow any moves by the big guys like Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic. At a certain point, a group went off, and I rode solo there, eventually waiting for the right moment to go," the Swiss rider said. "The Volta ao Algarve is the first real test against the big boys, so I have gained a lot of confidence here."

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Exactly six years after Pogacar, Christen really shows his skills

"Can I win more? The stage win already means a lot to me when I see the starting field here. That takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders. Joao is also close behind, so we are in a perfect position. I like time trials, so I'm going to give it my all," continued Christen, who will also be riding in several classics later this year. "For a Swiss like me, the Tour de Suisse is a dream race, but I would also describe the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège as fantastic races."

The comparison with Pogacar is easy to make. Six years ago, the Slovenian also really impressed for the first time in the Algarve. "I didn't know that he also made a name for himself here, but I do know that he rode many good races at a young age. And that is what I am doing too," said Christen. "Will I become a climber? We'll see. I also really love the classics, that's for sure. The races in the Ardennes appeal to me. But the longer climbs are also good for me." The luxury problems of a top talent.

Read also

Concerns for Groenewegen and Movistar after battlefield at UAE Tour, Bardet out in Algarve, Leitao crashes into wall

"My legs were good, but tactically it wasn't great": Vingegaard reflects on Alto de Foia

Course and results of Tour of the Algarve 2025 | Van Aert will have to do better, maybe the day after Meeus' victory

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