“My season will be split in two” – Tadej Pogacar compartmentalises 2026 into separate assaults on the Classics and the Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar has drawn a hard line through his 2026 season — one half for the cobbles, one half for yellow — and he isn’t hiding the scale of what’s coming. Fresh from a rare spell of downtime, the world champion has confirmed that his year will be built around two separate offensives: an all-in pursuit of Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix in the spring, followed by a single-minded return to the Tour de France in July.

“My season will be split in two,” he says in quotes collected by Bici.Pro. “First the Classics, then the second part will be in function of the Tour de France.”

It is the first time Pogacar has spelt out his approach so bluntly — drawing a bold line between the early-season push for Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix, and the summer campaign where he once again targets the top step in Paris.

If there was any doubt left about how badly Pogacar wants the two Monuments missing from his collection, he removed it.

For him, the path is simple, even if the races are anything but. “For races like the Sanremo and the Roubaix, you don’t need too many tactics — you just have to go and try. And if it doesn’t work, try again.”

The simplicity of the message hides the brutality of the challenge. His surge on the Cipressa this year was the most ferocious of the race, yet Filippo Ganna still clung to his wheel. Mathieu van der Poel ultimately denied him again. Pogacar didn’t shy away from acknowledging that calibre of opposition.

“They force me to raise the level every year — but I think I push them to do the same. It’s a great motivation for everyone.”

His 2026 debut may even come later than in 2025, with Pogacar hinting that his first race could be in March at the Strade Bianche — a symbolic choice given his three previous wins on the gravel roads of Tuscany.

The summer, as always, belongs to the Tour. Once the Classics are behind him, everything switches. “The second part will be in function of the Tour,” Pogacar repeated, making clear that the biggest race in cycling still dictates half his season.

The memories of 2025 — a year in which he fought through knee troubles and immense mental fatigue — clearly remain fresh. That wear and tear is precisely why he leaned heavily into downtime this autumn, spending his off-season mixing padel matches, simulator races and time with fellow athletes.

“I’ve tried lots of different things, nothing special — just the sort of things any guy my age does,” he said.

Pogacar even quantified his astonishing Lombardia-winning effort from October. “In a race like Lombardia you burn more than 1000 KJ an hour. So in six or six and a half hours, you can reach around 6500 KJ. I’d say that’s quite a lot.”

Asked whether such strain pushes him towards working with a mental coach, the answer was abrupt. “No.”

The 2026 version of UAE Team Emirates = XRG will look significantly different: Juan Ayuso is moving to Lidl-Trek, Rafal Majka has departed after years of loyal service, and Isaac Del Toro continues his rapid ascent. “We have a really strong team,” Pogacar said. “I’m happy with the atmosphere and with my relationships with my teammates.”

Reflecting on Majka’s exit, he added: “It was fantastic to race with Rafa. We shared amazing moments and victories. I learned so much from him — I’ll definitely miss him.”

As for the Giro d’Italia, fans hoping for an imminent return will need to wait. “I’ll definitely go back to the Giro — I’d love to — but it’s still a way off,” he said, placing any comeback from 2027 onwards. He even refused to dismiss the idea of riding all three Grand Tours in one season: “For a collector,” he admitted, “the Vuelta is still a missing diamond.”

The goals are already fixed: Sanremo, Roubaix, and then the Tour. The 2026 season may be split in two — but each half will demand the full Pogacar.