Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread

[Cookster15]

I don't want to fill this thread talking about Remco. But to finish my point:

1 - Del Toro is 1.80, 3 cm taller than Pogacar. So I wouldn't call him tall (Froome, Basso were dominant climbers in their prime and they are tall). I believe Del Toro looks more like a climber and he is more natural in the mountains than Remco. It's early to tell right now, but next year we will have an answer for sure.

2 - Are we forgetting 2025 when looking to Remco's climbing ability? I know he is better than what he showed but he didn't show a single (good) performance in the mountains. Where were those watts? I saw him doing very good performances in TTs for example. This just shows his performances are more about low CDA, than raw power.
How do you explain his performance in the Dauphiné? Completely smoked the field in the TT and 2 days later, he is losing 2 minutes to Pogacar in 7 km?

I sent you a reply on these points in the Remco thread.

 

[Peyroteo94]

No Vuelta next year. Probably same schedule.

As speculation continues over his future race programme, Matxin also hinted that Pogacar is unlikely to ride the 2026 Vuelta a España. With next year’s World Championships course expected to suit him perfectly, combining both with the Tour is not part of the plan.
“It’s definitely an objective we’d like to target at some point — absolutely, one hundred per cent,” Matxin said. “But with the current calendar, if you want to do the Tour, Vuelta and Worlds, that means being away from home for four months and staying at peak form the entire time. Right now, that’s not the most feasible approach from a physiological standpoint.”

“A living legend of cycling”: Matxin reveals Tadej Pogacar’s 2026 target as UAE Team Emirates set sights on fifth Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates are already looking ahead to 2026 — and the mission is clear. After a historic 2025 season in which the Slovenian superstar claimed his fourth Tour de France title,...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[Monsi]

No Vuelta next year. Probably same schedule.

As speculation continues over his future race programme, Matxin also hinted that Pogacar is unlikely to ride the 2026 Vuelta a España. With next year’s World Championships course expected to suit him perfectly, combining both with the Tour is not part of the plan.
“It’s definitely an objective we’d like to target at some point — absolutely, one hundred per cent,” Matxin said. “But with the current calendar, if you want to do the Tour, Vuelta and Worlds, that means being away from home for four months and staying at peak form the entire time. Right now, that’s not the most feasible approach from a physiological standpoint.”

“A living legend of cycling”: Matxin reveals Tadej Pogacar’s 2026 target as UAE Team Emirates set sights on fifth Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates are already looking ahead to 2026 — and the mission is clear. After a historic 2025 season in which the Slovenian superstar claimed his fourth Tour de France title,...

cyclinguptodate.com

Kinda expected really. Also, with that last sentence, it makes it more likely that the Tour-Vuelta will only be on the menu starting with 2028.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Kinda expected really. Also, with that last sentence, it makes it more likely that the Tour-Vuelta will only be on the menu starting with 2028.

I'm little bit sad but I respect his decision. It's all in for MSR and PR!

 

[Salvarani]

Yeah, some realized this a lot earlier.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

No Vuelta next year. Probably same schedule.

As speculation continues over his future race programme, Matxin also hinted that Pogacar is unlikely to ride the 2026 Vuelta a España. With next year’s World Championships course expected to suit him perfectly, combining both with the Tour is not part of the plan.
“It’s definitely an objective we’d like to target at some point — absolutely, one hundred per cent,” Matxin said. “But with the current calendar, if you want to do the Tour, Vuelta and Worlds, that means being away from home for four months and staying at peak form the entire time. Right now, that’s not the most feasible approach from a physiological standpoint.”

“A living legend of cycling”: Matxin reveals Tadej Pogacar’s 2026 target as UAE Team Emirates set sights on fifth Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates are already looking ahead to 2026 — and the mission is clear. After a historic 2025 season in which the Slovenian superstar claimed his fourth Tour de France title,...

cyclinguptodate.com

Not surprising. They think Pogacar can still win the Vuelta later in his career. Keeping the rainbow as long as possible (he likes it) plus spring monuments are prioritized over Vuelta right now.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Not surprising. They think Pogacar can still win the Vuelta later in his career. Keeping the rainbow as long as possible (he likes it) plus spring monuments are prioritized over Vuelta right now.

They are gambling a lot IMO but I respect his decision.

 

[Salvarani]

Not surprising. They think Pogacar can still win the Vuelta later in his career. Keeping the rainbow as long as possible (he likes it) plus spring monuments are prioritized over Vuelta right now.

It makes sense to go for another Worlds, when it is still a course that Pog could win.

And getting more tries at MSR + PR now makes sense, while still at his peak. Those are the hardest for him to win and the chaotic nature of those races. He needs to be at his very best to win.

Vuelta is three weeks. Few can beat Pog over three weeks, not to mention one day. He will still get multiple tries at the Vuelta in the future. And Vuelta is in no way the most important race for him to win. Some may be too invested here. He decides his targets.

Winning the monuments would mean more than the Vuelta right now. Ticking those off is a big goal. Then Vuelta will likely be something that can be motivating later. When it can be better planned into the schedule.

All in time. Just enjoy it. See what happens. Take nothing for granted.

 

[James M]

It makes perfect sense to prioritize the WC path for now, as that window is smaller than the Vuelta window for various reasons (such as route variations etc.).