Pogacar to Vuelta 2026

What's happened

Pogacar has confirmed his return to La Vuelta a España with UAE Team Emirates-XRG. The Slovenian rider has claimed a record-equaling fifth Tour de France crown and will chase a first Vuelta title, aiming to complete the trio of Grand Tours in a single year.

What's behind the headline?

Key angles

• Pogacar is targeting the rare feat of winning all three Grand Tours in one year, a pursuit last achieved by a small list of legends.
• The Vuelta return places him on home roads (Monaco-based) with strong support from UAE Team Emirates-XRG, including Joao Almeida and Pavel Sivakov.
• The field features high mountains and time trials that will test Pogacar’s explosive climbing and time-trial prowess.

What this signals

• This confirms Pogacar’s season-long focus on stage racing rather than sprint finishes, and signals confidence in the team’s ability to protect him across the three-week grind.
• A potential dual-pronged approach could see him defend a rainbow jersey at the World Championships soon after the Vuelta, impacting how teams allocate resources late in the season.

Reader takeaway

• Fans should expect a tightly managed race strategy from the UAE team, leveraging Pogacar’s versatility to contest mountain stages and time trials alike.

How we got here

Pogacar’s decision to race the Vuelta follows a stellar run that has seen him win the 2024 Giro and the 2026 Tour de France. He last rode La Vuelta in 2019, where he finished third and claimed three stage wins. The Vuelta starts in Monaco on August 22 and finishes in Granada on September 13, covering roughly 3,300 km across 21 stages.

Our analysis

BBC Business, AP News, Independent, The Guardian all report Pogacar’s return to La Vuelta with UAE Team Emirates-XRG, highlighting his Tour de France success and Giro d’Italia win. They quote Pogacar’s intention to go back to La Vuelta and lay out the race structure and participating teammates.

Go deeper

• Will Pogacar win all three Grand Tours in one year?
• Who will be the biggest challenger to Pogacar in the Vuelta?
• How might this impact the World Championships calendar?

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