"I wouldn't say demotivating. But for sure we all look at UAE" - Tadej Pogacar's decisions at La Vuelta will influence breakaway behaviour
CyclingThursday, 20 August 2026 at 01:00
Bahrain - Victorious have announced their lineup for the Vuelta a España, featuring Pau Miquel as one of its stage hunters. Whilst the team aims high in the overall classification, the Spaniard hopes to achieve his first pro win at La Vuelta - although a lot of it depends on what Tadej Pogacar feels like doing and what days he will be aiming for.
Miquel aiming for a stage win at La Vuelta for Bahrain
A two-time Vuelta participant, it will be no new ground for the 25-year old Miquel. However, it will be the first time for him racing in a World Tour structure, making it a three-week race with more responsibility than what he's had in the past.
In 2024, he was one of the breakthrough riders for Equipo Kern Pharma, who had an historic race with stage wins for Pablo Castrillo and Urko Berrade. At the time, Miquel finished on the Top5 on four occasions, and got to witness the sprinting of Wout Van Aert first-hand.
"Just sprinting against a guy like that was quite interesting, and difficult," Miquel said in an interview with Domestique. "But at the same time it was really motivating, and the ambition to beat him was super high. Until he had that big crash and he had to abandon."
Miquel, a mix of puncheur and sprinter, makes for an interesting wildcard for the upcoming Grand Tour, having the legs to contest for different types of stages. After he didn't take part in the race 12 months ago and a second place at the recent Circuito de Getxo, Miquel goes into the race with high motivation.
"It really gives me a lot of confidence. Coming together and doing this second place was really good for my feeling. Now I'm just waiting for the Vuelta, doing last trainings. At least the shape, I can say it's pretty good."
The goal is simple and clear: "Winning a stage. This is my only and biggest goal. I know it's really tough work, but that's why we are there. I really believe I'm in good shape now and mentally I'm prepared to fight for a win. There are five, six stages I think I can battle for."
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Tadej Pogacar's decisions make a massive difference
Miquel will aim for the several hilly sprint stages on course, but also the breakaways - the most likely scenario in which he would be taking a career-changing first pro win. But this is likely to be heavily influenced by the chasing of UAE Team Emirates - XRG, which can happen on specific days that Tadej Pogacar will be aiming for.
"I wouldn't say demotivating. But for sure we all look at UAE before anyone, because they have the favourite rider and we think they need to control. Once [Pogacar] says he will be in the race, for sure you think 'okay, so these five, six, seven chances I had, maybe it's just two or three'."
The Spaniard's task will be to find these opportunities and make the best of them. Often that will revolve around what Pogacar does, but he will need to be in the right place at the right time to begin with.
"It doesn't matter what he does. If he wants to win he will go for the win, and for sure he has the legs to do it. You have to be there to try and win, and if he lets a break go, why not be there and try to win," he concluded.
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.
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