"He can do it, but I wouldn't" - Tadej Pogacar sent warning about going after one particular cycling record after Vuelta a Espana start confirmed
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar is chasing history as he looks to follow up his record-equalling Tour de France victory by winning the 2026 Vuelta a Espana - completing the treble of all three Grand Tour triumphs. The hot favourite to win his seventh career Grand Tour, a much bigger record is on the horizon.
No rider has ever been able to win all three Grand Tours in the same season, with Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Chris Froome winning combinations of consecutive Grand Tours, but not in the same season.
With very few riders competing in all three of cycling's longest races in the same season, such an achievement would require a seismic effort from the Slovenian, who would likely have to sacrifice other major season goals such as classics races and the World Championships to aim for the record.
Speculation aside, in just over two weeks, Pogacar will arrive at the Monaco start after finishing the Tour in relatively fresh condition and faces a general classification field significantly less loaded with rivals than at La Grand Boucle.
Speaking ahead of his Monday confirmation, one cycling legend thinks that the World Championships are still an achievable goal even with a Vuelta under his belt. The World Championships road race takes place two weeks after the Vuelta's conclusion.
Tadej Pogacar at the 2026 Tour de France
World Championships after Vuelta
"He's never done two major stage races [Grand Tours, Ed.] in a row, except for the year of the Giro d'Italia. And I think he can aim for the World Championships again," former world champion Maurizio Fondriest said on the "A Voice in the Run" podcast.
"A 250-kilometer race is one thing, but when you start climbing that much… I don't know if Evenepoel will be able to keep up with him."
In terms of competing for the 2026 Vuelta crown, Fondriest thinks that Vingegaard was the only capable suitor, who before his Tour crash even looked 'inferior' to the Slovenian. According to the Italian, Pogacar faces little to no challenge.
He added: "Then we need to figure out who his opponents will be, but hey... Vingegaard could have been the only one, but he crashed, and in any case, he was a bit inferior even at the Tour. The bottom line is that in my opinion he won't have any opponents."
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Three Grand Tours in one season?
When it comes to winning a Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, he sent a warning to Pogacar. Although stating that he believes it's possible, the potential sacrifice and intensity could come back to bite him in the future.
Instead, he backed Pogacar to continue picking up records gradually, pointing to a sixth Tour de France win putting him exclusively ahead in the rankings and another World Championships bid among targets.
"He can do it, but I wouldn't. He still has some years left where he can try to win, like a sixth Tour, and he'd be the first to do it... then another World Championship. I wouldn't risk such an intense season."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- 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 - Indeed! A reluctant gift maybe. Even more reluctant gift from Roglic! Tho I can’t see that Rog would have beaten Ving anyway.Lozza14-11-2026
- That really nasty crash in 2022 Liege must have played a big part - broken ribs, pneumothorax. You only have to look at his points tallies pre and post.Lozza14-11-2026
- Yeah, good luck getting tv and race organisers like ASO etc to part with their cash!Lozza14-11-2026
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