Mexico, India, Australia, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Spain... - Tadej Pogacar might start 2027 season earlier, but where?

Tadej Pogacar has confirmed that he will not race again in 2026, but that he will begin training for 2027 one month earlier. On the CyclingUpToDate Podcast, Rúben Silva and Gavin Quinn have speculated on the races in which the former World Champion may begin his season, if he is to do it in January this time around.

For both, there appears to be no doubt that Pogacar will be starting the season in January, changing things up from his traditional schedules:

"Yes, to be blunt [...] If he, like he says, begins his training a month earlier than usual, you could argue that he's going to start a season at least a month earlier than usual as well," Quinn argued on this Monday's episode. "And there's a few reasons to believe that this is the right thing, but also this is the thing he will do".

"First one is that he's already showed eagerness to return to racing. He also said in his quotes that he enjoys watching the races on TV or in this case in the car, but he can't really shake that urge to race and I think he's going to be really keen to get going as early as possible".

Reportedly, the Slovenian attempted to race the European Championships at home in Slovenia, which he was sidelined from after the severe injuries suffered at the Vuelta a España.

In 2027 he may not start with Strade Bianche or the UAE Tour, but instead earlier on as he should begin his training significantly earlier. He might also have the power to choose whichever race he desires: "I mean, we've seen on several occasions that it's like, if he wants to do this race, just let him do this race," Silva stated. "He has the saying and he wants to also do this without the pressure and without these extreme efforts".

The possibilities have grown extensively for next season, with racing on almost all continents available in mid and late January, providing several different options.

The World Tour-rated Tour Down Under is the most obvious one: "I think if the team actually does have a saying, maybe they would want him there," Quinn put it. "Also, for palmarès sake, I think that Pogacar is the kind of rider who's like 'maybe I can win all world tour stage races throughout my career'."

"There's the AlUla Tour 25 to 29 January. Not the most logical reason, but then you think, 'well, he's part of the UAE Team Emirates'. That could be a goal for UAE," Silva argued. "They went ahead and won it with Jan Christen this year". The Emirati team could have a sponsorship preference for the middle eastern race.

Pogacar could begin the season in Spain at the Mallorca classics, or otherwise int he newly-created Vuelta a Canarias, set to be the first UCI stage-race of 2027 in the mountainous Spanish islands.

"It's going to happen from the 14th to the 17th of January [...] This four-day stage race, I'm quite certain, is the route that the Vuelta was supposed to have taken towards this end," Silva argued. "Because it's two stages in Tenerife and two stages in Gran Canaria. And that's exactly what the Vuelta was initially planned out to be this year".

With the good weather and expected climbing efforts, it could make for an interesting challenge for Pogacar who has previously travelled to Gran Canaria for a sporting event.

But the former World Champion could aim for the Americas. Reportedly, the maiden Mexico Tour should take place simultaneous to the Tour Down Under. "Now, you would think, why would Pogacar go to Mexico? Reason number one is that Del Toro might be there, might want to go there. Pogacar is a great friend of Del Toro, we cannot go against that. But also in the past, Pogacar has been in Colombia with Rigoberto Uran in his own events. And it's not unusual to see riders go to South, Central America during January because the weather is good".

"Del Toro goes if he wants to, Pogacar goes if del Toro goes," Silva argued, whilst Quinn added: "The team wouldn't go to Mexico if del Toro wasn't going. It's the whole point. From a marketing point of view and exposure and making the trip worth it in terms of resources they put towards the race".

The relationship between the two teammates and the attractiveness weather-wise of the event could see both making the trip to Mexico, where they would be absolute stars.

But one other race might just take the prize. India have recently been awarded the 2032 World Championships, and aim to become one of cycling's newest players. This year the Pune Grand Tour was first used, and it provided the UCI with positive feedback.

"I think some riders would not mind, especially one like Pogacar, who has a lot of calendar freedom. He would not mind going to India in January to race because that would, I mean, I don't know many pro cyclists who have had the experience of racing professionally in India".

"And with the crowds being massive, as we've seen this past January, I think that could be an interesting option".

For both, it is quite obvious that above all, Pogacar may look to keep mental freshness, and use such a race to enjoy himself and cycling in a different way that his traditional schedule.

"If he's particularly fond of one idea, he could have a massive impact in the exposure of one certain race. And above all, is he going to want to have fun and just go do one of these races to experience... Well, it's not for the results, really. It's to experience a new culture, a new country, or to just keep things fresh. Because for a rider of his caliber, that's almost as important as performing at this point in time".

"Because yeah, we've seen on plenty occasions how the pressure, the media, all of this has gotten to him. So he wants to keep his passion for cycling, I would believe".

"I really want him to do Mexico," Quinn called for. "It's something that would be great for the sport. Mexico has grown enormously since the last five years and the rise of Isaac del Toro, but also several riders in the sport".

"So it'll just be great to see the world's best rider riding in Mexico. And I'm sure you'd see crazy scenes and crowds. My head says maybe something like Canaries or Tour Down Under as well. It just makes sense for the team to have their best rider there".

Silva in the meantime makes a different call. "I do think the Tour Down Under is what my head says. I think it's the most logic of the options because of many things you've mentioned".

"I would love for him to do the Pune Grand Tour because you would have a new race that would be on the spotlight. It's such a novelty. It's such an unexpected location to have a new race to bring in the spotlight. I think perhaps that would be... I think I would love that the most, really".