False hope for Tadej Pogacar fans? UAE "absolutely adamant" 2026 season is over despite Slovenian appearing on European Championship startlist
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar's name appearing on Slovenia's European Championship entry list offered an unexpected suggestion that his 2026 season might not be finished after all.
Less than a month after the Vuelta a Espana crash that brought his campaign to an abrupt end, the prospect of defending his European title on home roads was always going to attract attention. UAE Team Emirates - XRG, however, have dismissed the listing as outdated. "It's probably an old list," the team told Feltet.
The UEC currently lists Pogacar among Slovenia's elite men's entries for the championships in Ljubljana from 2-7 October, while confirming that definitive startlists will only be published the day before each race.
UAE also confirmed that Pogacar has resumed light indoor training as his recovery continues, but ruled out any return to competition before the end of the year. "Although he is back doing light indoor training, there are no plans for him to ride any more races this year."
Daniel Friebe subsequently reported the same position after checking with those around the Slovenian, writing on X: "Pogačar camp - team and manager - absolutely adamant that season is over."
Pogacar claimed the European title in 2025
Home Europeans had been one last possible route back
Pogacar had been due to defend the European road race title he won in 2025, with this year's championships carrying the added attraction of taking place in Slovenia.
That plan disappeared after his crash on stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana on 29 August. Pogacar was wearing the red jersey when he went down heavily, suffering a displaced fracture of his left collarbone, a stable C7 cervical fracture and concussion.
His Vuelta had started with three victories in the opening six stages, including the opening time trial in Monaco and wins in Andorra and Castelló. The crash ended his attempt to add the one Grand Tour still missing from his palmares while also removing the World Championships, European Championships and Il Lombardia from his late-season programme.
UAE confirmed earlier this month that Pogacar's 2026 season was finished, making his appearance on the European Championship entry list the first development to raise even the possibility of a change to that timetable.
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Recovery now points towards 2027
The latest update instead concerns Pogacar's rehabilitation. Returning to light indoor training marks his first step back onto the bike since undergoing surgery after the Vuelta crash, but both UAE and his manager remain committed to a full recovery rather than accelerating his return.
Pogacar's season therefore ends earlier than planned after another campaign containing a fifth Tour de France victory, a first Milano-Sanremo win and further Monument successes at the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The European Championship listing may have briefly reopened the question of one final race in 2026, but there is currently no change to the original plan. Pogacar's next competitive appearance is expected in 2027.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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