Alex Carera: 'My job isn’t to make Pogacar earn more, but to make sure he’s happy'

“It was a truly innovative event,” Carera told Marca from Andorra, where the season came to a close with the Andorra Cycling Masters, a relaxed showcase featuring four of the sport’s biggest names. “Four great champions, the crowd so close, flawless organization. Splitting the race between a time trial and an urban circuit was a brilliant idea. Andorra has found a winning way to promote itself through cycling.”

But what struck him most happened off the bike. “Having only four riders allowed something rare: we could have dinner together, talk calmly, share things that after a Tour there’s never time to say. That human part is essential, and we often forget it.”

Pogačar’s year was the kind of season that will live in the record books: the Tour de France, the rainbow jersey, the European title, Lombardia. “The season has ended very well,” says Carera, “and he’s already thinking about 2026. Every season needs new motivation, but always with balance. At UAE Team Emirates they know that. There’ll be a meeting in Abu Dhabi and another in Benidorm to define his calendar. The secret is to listen to everyone and maintain harmony between the hunger of a champion and the needs of a structure that big.”

Carera has represented some of cycling’s biggest names through his agency A&J All Sports, but his bond with Pogačar runs deeper. “He’s exactly the same boy I met in 2016,” he says. “Of course, now he has more responsibility. When a hundred people ask for a photo, you can say yes a hundred times, but when it’s five thousand, it’s harder. Still, in his day-to-day life, in the way he treats people, he’s the same Tadej.”

In a world that never slows down, he has learned to value calm when he finds it. “To have a great season, you must have a great winter. Train, rest, recover physically and mentally. Without that, there’s no miracle.” That sense of recovery also means being with the right person. “He has to be with the one who makes him feel good,” Carera says of Pogačar’s relationship with Urška Žigart. 

“Spending time with Urška in Monaco, watching a movie or a series, or just staying home, those are the things that make him who he is. Because for her he’s Tadej, not Pogačar, and for him she’s Urška, not Žigart the athlete. That normality protects and balances them.”

Carera’s world revolves around negotiation, but he keeps perspective. “I’ve lived through very complicated transfers, contracts across countries, different tax systems, sponsors pulling in different directions. But when everything fits and you see the rider calm and satisfied, you know it was worth it.”

He believes the cycling market is becoming more like football: longer contracts, more pressure, more breakups. “The most complicated negotiation I’ve had was Van Gils. One of the most surprising was Cian Uijtdebroeks to Movistar.” 

Among the rising stars, he highlights Biniam Girmay. “His arrival has changed the game. Not only because of his victories, but because of what he represents. Africa is no longer a promise, it’s the present. Girmay has opened a commercial, cultural and sporting path that cycling needed. His presence expands horizons, multiplies audiences and attracts brands. He’s a symbol of modernity.”

Another young rider who catches his eye is Isaac del Toro. “He’s pure talent, but also intelligent. He has something special. He represents a new generation that understands a cycling career isn’t just about immediate victories. Growth has to be protected, planned intelligently, so fame doesn’t burn him out too soon. His ceiling is high, but his time will come.”

Through it all, Carera stays true to a simple belief. “My job isn’t to make him earn more, but to make sure he’s happy. Sometimes you have to accept earning a little less to live better. Having 50 or 51 million in the bank doesn’t change anything. What changes is being at peace with yourself.”

He speaks quietly, without pretence. “If a rider is happy, he performs better. If he keeps that bond with his teammates and the team, everything flows. At UAE, Tadej spends more time with them than with his own parents. That family is what sustains his greatness.”

The season ends quietly in Andorra, and Carera allows himself a rare pause. For all the pressure and ambition that surround modern cycling, he remains guided by a simple idea: happiness is what keeps champions winning.