OFFICIAL: Tadej Pogacar will ride the 2026 Vuelta a Espana as UAE Team Emirates- XRG rider set for return
CyclingMonday, 03 August 2026 at 10:11
Tadej Pogacar will ride the 2026 Vuelta a España, ending speculation of the UAE Team Emirates -XRG leader's long-awaited return to the Spanish Grand Tour as he looks to make it a Tour-Vuelta double.
UAE confirmed the news on Monday, announcing that Pogacar will lead the team alongside Joao Almeida. Marking the first time Pogacar returns to the race since 2019, the team said: "It’s true - he’s coming back."
Pogacar won the Tour de France last month in dominant fashion, equaling the record for five general classification wins and smashing the climbing record of Alpe d'Huez on stage 19.
Pogacar aims for Tour-Vuelta double
As the Slovenian marched to the yellow jersey, speculation rose of his Vuelta plans as both rider and team refused to rule out a return to the Spanish Grand Tour, which started in Pogacar's current residence in Monaco.
The world champion rode his first-ever Grand Tour at the 2019 Vuelta, winning three stages and finishing in third on the podium, but as his maiden Tour de France victory came the following year, he hasn't returned to the race.
The 2026 edition of La Vuelta begins in Monaco before the race makes its way to Andorra, then Northern Spain, and down to Andalusia in the south. With over 58,000 meters of climbing, seven summit finishes and two time trials, Pogacar will now be the big favourite to win his first red jersey.
Speculation of his participation came with the debate around whether it would interrupt one of his major season goals: winning a third World Championships in a row. With the Vuelta beginning on August 22nd and finishing on September 13th, it leaves a short window for recovery.
Tadej Pogacar at the 2026 Tour de France
Evenepoel, van Aert and possibly Vingegaard to rival Pogacar
The Montreal showpiece sees Pogacar face the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert on September 27th. Another rival who could be at the start line is Jonas Vingegaard, eying a return after his Tour crash that left him with a broken collarbone.
When quizzed about his potential return to racing, the topic of the World Championships is something Vingegaard hasn't ruled out.
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“I actually don’t know yet; it depends on how the collarbone reacts, and how it heals, and how it recovers. It’s not out of the question for me, but I also don’t want to say now that it’s going to happen.”
Vingegaard hasn't been a prolific one-day rider throughout his career and has never ridden the World Championships road race at elite level, with his last outing being in the under-23 race in 2018.
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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- Remco's "mano-a-mano stage win" came while Pogacar was dragging del Toro to the finishfredlyfred03-08-2026
- That's not a question. Nobody can beat Pogi if he is 100%. Remco can out TT him 99% of the time, but beat him on anything with a climb...not going to happen. As for Wout van Aert, maybe on cobbles or in a sprint finish. Past that he can't touch Pogi. And I like them both, but articles like this should say "who will place 2nd and 3rd at the World's? Unless Pogi is off I see nothing stopping him from winning a 3rd rainbow 🌈 "md197503-08-2026
- What you describe is, to me, the "restrained" part of the situation. It's media management, preventing a dialog like Vingegaard had to go through at the Giro, "is he saving enough energy," and all that.RidesHills03-08-2026
- Some fools are already complaining that the winner of the Vuelta is already known and that it will be boring because there are no serious opponents. I ask you, what would change if Vingegaard, Remco, Ayuso and Seixas were there? Absolutely nothing. In the eyes of Pogi haters, Pogačar shouldn't have gone to the Vuelta because the winner is already known. I ask you, should Usain Bolt have gone to races because the winner was already known, or should he have dropped out, so that it would be uncertain with results in 9.85-9.90 range for the win? Fools, keep your mouths closed and don't make bigger fools of yourselves. Capish?PogiSloFans03-08-2026
- "The race, however, was far from straightforward for the Soudal Quick-Step leader." WTF!? Who is Soudal Quick-Step leader. And what does he have to do with it?MajorPayne03-08-2026
- I don't think he has to win Romandie and Swiss. Every time there is talk about the greatest cyclists of all time, it's aways how many TdF they won, how many Giro's and Vuelta's, how many Monuments and World Championships... and maybe the Olympics, but not that important in cycling. This is the benchmark for road cycling, no one talks much about how many one week stage races were won.PogiSloFans03-08-2026
- True, that's why Pogi will win the Vuelta and the Rainbow Jersey.PogiSloFans03-08-2026
- I told you this kid was a flash in the pan.
MarkFour03-08-2026 - All Jonas has to do is win Romandie and Suisse to complete the GC collection, then mentor Paul Seixas if he goes to Visma (the best place in my opinion). Which, considering his patron-of-the-peloton mentality, I'm sure he'd like very much
Rafionain-Glas03-08-2026 - For all its faults and farces, this shows that you still need the UCI because without it, people will do really EVERYTHING to circumvent rules. I was going to joke the enforcement would just lead to displacing the cheating, breast would be remodelled from the inside instead but now I’m pretty convinced that’s probably already been done too, and maybe even buttocks. So, should implants be banned too then? Notice also how ladies rarely open their jerseys on climbs when it gets hot like the boys.Jumpyjohn03-08-2026
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