Tadej Pogacar, the 2026 Tour de France champion, announced his participation in the Vuelta a España, which begins on 22 August in Monaco. By competing in all three Grand Tours within a single season, Pogacar seeks to achieve an accomplishment recently completed by rival Jonas Vingegaard, who won the Giro d’Italia in May of this year.
Pogacar expressed enthusiasm about returning to Spain, noting that his first Grand Tour appearance came at the 2019 Vuelta a España. In that debut, the Slovenian finished third overall, secured three stage victories, and claimed the best young rider classification. He characterized the experience as transformative and expressed his affinity for the country and its racing environment.
The 2026 Vuelta a España course includes eight mountain stages and more than 40 kilometers of individual time trials. The race opens with a time trial in Monaco before moving through Andorra and along the Mediterranean coast. Subsequent stages take place in regions centered around Córdoba, Málaga, and Seville, concluding with a final stage in Granada on 13 September.
Pogacar had indicated during his Tour de France campaign that he was considering the Spanish race, particularly after Prince Albert of Monaco suggested the likelihood of his participation. Following his Paris victory, however, Pogacar acknowledged initial fatigue, stating that immediate participation would be challenging but that a two-week recovery period could allow for a final decision.
Pogacar maintains an ambitious schedule for the remainder of the year, with the World Road Race Championships in Montreal scheduled for 27 September, occurring two weeks after the Vuelta concludes. This stands in contrast to Vingegaard, who is expected to rest for the remainder of the season following a collarbone injury sustained during the Tour.
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