CyclingUpToDate Podcast: "He can sleep in his own bed before the time trial begins" - Tadej Pogacar's La Vuelta participation seen as a no-brainer
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar's participation at the 2026 Vuelta a España has been confirmed today, meaning the World Champion returns to the Spanish Grand Tour after seven years. On the CyclingUpToDate Podcast, Rúben Silva and Gavin Quinn have discussed the Slovenian's decision as well as the Tour de France Femmes' first days and controversies.
Tadej Pogacar confirmed for La Vuelta
Pogacar had long teased a potential return to the Vuelta. The decision was made last week in a meeting with UAE Team Emirates - XRG, and communicated to the public this Monday.
"We spoke about this maybe at the end of our Tour kind of recap, where I think you said that you were pretty much confirmed that he was going to be there. I had my doubts at times, I think maybe it was decided last week, but with the Vuelta a Espana's proximity to World Championships, I did still question it just a little bit," Gavin Quinn argued.
UAE Team Emirates - XRG will back the Slovenian whilst still having João Almeida primed for the start line. In the absence of most of the world's best climbers, Pogacar should have a calmer three-week race than what happened at the Tour de France.
"I'm excited to see it in a way. I think the route suits him pretty well, he doesn't have to go too far from his doorstep really, does he, with the start in Monaco. It's kind of one that the cycling world has seen coming, whether some people will respond to it in a positive way, I don't know".
Read also
The home start in Monaco is a major factor for Pogacar, but Rúben Silva put further importance in the Tour de France, one in which the Slovenian didn't have to put out all the stops to win - and even spent considerable amount of time aiding Isaac del Toro's own ambitions.
"I think to myself, and I'm like, he didn't really have any problems, did he? He finished the race relaxed, he's probably not overly exhausted for sureI would say. And yeah, I always had in mind if finishes the Tour relatively fresh, he's going to race the Vuelta".
"Because as he said, it literally starts at his home, he can just walk to the start line, he can sleep in his own bed before the time trial begins... For a rider like Pogacar - we've seen in the past - he doesn't race too much, but the days he does not race, he wants to be away from the spotlight, he wants to be at home and with his partner, and he just wants to be off the limelight and just recover mentally more".
This makes Pogacar the ultimate favourite to win the third Grand Tour of the year and match Jonas Vingegaard when it comes to holding titles in all three Grand Tours.
"If nothing goes too odd, he's probably going to win a few stages, maybe the overall classification... And as I said, he's already won two consecutive World championships, so I think it makes sense for him to go for the Vuelta instead of going to Canada, and then trying out for the first with the ideal preparation, because the Vuelta is still going to be good".
Tadej Pogacar will be racing the 2026 Vuelta a España
Paula Blasi's UAE situation at the Tour de France Femmes
The Tour de France Femmes has also begun this Sunday. The duo discussed Lorena Wiebes' early domination; their own bets for the overall classification winner - with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Demi Vollering being chosen - and much more.
The leading topic in the French race has been the controversy between La Vuelta Femenina winner Paula Blasi and her own UAE Team ADQ. The Spaniard is reportedly leaving at the end of the season, creating internal tensions.
According to the rider herself, the team has two leaders and neither is Blasi, despite her evidence of strong performances. The clash between the two stunned the CyclingUpToDate team.
"I'm baffled as to how we got to this situation really in the first place, because if you turned on the TV to watch Paula Blasi riding up the Angliru, you would say 'okay, we have a next superstar', like a rider who should be cherished by her team, and not given at all, but definitely helped develop forward," Quinn added.
"And the next step of that would be being here, but that's where the problems come from, because you also have Eliza Longo Borghini here, and I don't know how we got to this situation. Perhaps it's agents, perhaps it's contracts, we know of the contract rumors with Paula Blasi".
Blasi has been reported to, despite having a contract until 2027, be leaving either to Movistar or Lidl-Trek. This has seemingly not fallen well with the UAE management, who is putting its focus on other riders at the sport's most important event.
"I guess it's unfortunate for almost everyone involved that it's got to this point, like there has been expressed that the road will decide, but if you don't feel like you have your team even behind you at the same time, it's hard to let the road decide too".
Rúben Silva has argued that the team is trying to push forward an idea that goes against its own interests. "She's part of the team, but she is apart from the team". Blasi, after winning her last three stage-races, was potentially UAE's best option to chase the podium at the Tour.
By not giving freedom to Blasi, the team is seemingly burying the chances of a rider that has immense potential. "These riders, all of them are already in different time gaps [after stage 1], so you just let the road decide, but it feels like UAE is not exactly letting the road decide".
With the mountains looming around the corner, Silva argued that UAE may enter a full-on clash if Blasi proves to be above her teammates over the coming days. "The problem, and it's weird to say this, because it's almost an artificial problem. The problem is if Blasi is stronger than Longo Borghini and the other riders".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 2visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
- Martinez had a good year! 5th at the Tour was a great result for him, albeit largely through getting in successful breaks, but he held it better than Pidcock who’d done the same.Lozza14-11-2026
- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment