Tadej Pogačar has firmly established himself as one of the most talented and versatile cyclists of all time. With three Tour de France victories and a dominant Giro victory already under his belt, the Slovenian rider has proven his prowess onvarious terrains and in different race formats.
But for the first time in his career, Pogacar has turned up on an opportunity to create history. Pogacar has decided to not race the Vuelta a Espana, in favour of prioritising winning his first rainbow jersey at the World Championships.
Yes, winning the rainbow jersey after securing a Giro and Tour this year would be an historical achievement. But, no one has ever won all three grand tours in the same season. For once, Pogacar has walked away from making history.
This choice isn't just about personal glory but also about his legacy and the broader dynamics of professional cycling. So, let’s delve into why Pogačar has chosen to prioritize the World Championships this year.
The Case for the Road World Championships
Prestige and Unique Honor
The Road World Championships offer a unique prestige that is different from a Grand Tour victory. Wearing the rainbow jersey for an entire year is an honour that few cyclists experience. It is a symbol of excellence recognized across all disciplines of cycling. For Pogačar, winning the World Championships would not only diversify his list of achievements but also enhance his reputation as a versatile rider capable of excelling in one-day races as well as stage races.
Perhaps Pogacar has witnessed the likes of Remco Evenepoel, and Mathieu Van der Poel, write their names into the history books with the rainbow jersey, and wants to taste this glory himself.
Tadej Pogacar during the 2024 Tour de France. @Imago
Course Suitability
The course of the Road World Championships often varies, but it typically features a mix of challenging climbs, technical descents, and flat sections. The 2024 course in Zurich is no different, and it is a terrain that suits Pogačar’s all-rounder capabilities. Given his strength in climbing and his improved time-trialling, Pogačar could potentially dominate a course designed to test a wide range of skills.
Moreover, the one-day format of the World Championships offers a different type of challenge compared to the sustained efforts required in a Grand Tour, allowing Pogačar to showcase his cycling IQ and explosive power in a different setting. As seen at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Strade Bianche earlier this year, Pogačar has the beating of the classics specialists on punchy courses.
Legacy
Winning the World Championships has a historical and symbolic impact that transcends even the most prestigious Grand Tours. The rainbow jersey is a globalsymbol of cycling excellence. For Pogačar, a victory here would place him among the elite cyclists who have managed to achieve success across various formats of the sport. It would also position him as a rider who can adapt to and conquer any race, further solidifying his legacy.
But perhaps there’s another element. Pogacar may believe, or know, that he can win the Vuelta. His main rivals won’t be there, and quite frankly he’s a class above the field in 2024. But, at a one day road race, like the World Championships, anything can happen. Remco Evenepoel’s Olympic performance may have been the one performance this year that would have concerned Pogacar, and the likes of Van der Poel and Van Aert may fancy their chances on the shorter climbs. This lack of certainty may be what motivates Pogacar after such a dominant year to date.
Physical and Mental Considerations
Balancing Peak Performance
One of the most significant challenges in professional cycling is timing peak performance. The demands of peaking for a three-week Grand Tour are vastly different from those of a one-day World Championship race. Focusing on the Vuelta would require Pogačar to maintain peak condition over an extended period, having already completed six weeks of Grand Tour racing this year.
On the other hand, the World Championships demand a perfectly timed peak for a single day. Given Pogačar’s young age and resilience, he has the potential to excel in both, but balancing these peaks is a delicate task.
Recovery and Longevity
Cycling is a sport that takes a considerable toll on the body, and managing recovery is crucial for a long and successful career. Choosing to focus on the Vuelta might mean enduring another gruelling three-week race, which could impact his performance later in the season or in the following year. On the other hand, the World Championships, while intense, is a one-day effort, potentially allowing for a more measured approach to recovery and future race planning.
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Strategic Decision
Team and Personal Goals
Ultimately, Pogačar’s decision will likely came down to a combination of personal ambition and team strategy. UAE Team Emirates will have weighed the benefits of another potential Grand Tour win against the prestige of a World Championship title. Pogačar himself will have considered his long-term career goals, his physical condition, and his desire to leave a lasting legacy in the sport.
There’s also the consideration that UAE Team Emirates have a number of young riders with personal goals aside from supporting Pogačar. João Almeida went under the radar at the Tour de France, and was undoubtedly the best rider outside the top 3. Both he and Juan Ayuso have finished on Grand Tour podiums before, and will not always be content to sacrifice themselves for Pogačar. Pogacar will not want to suffocate his Tour de France ‘super team,’ and will therefore want to give some freedom for likes of Adam Yates, Almedia and Ayuso to strive for their own personal glory.
Conclusion
Tadej Pogačar’s decision to prioritize the Road World Championships over the Vuelta a España is a testament to his exceptional talent and the high stakes of professional cycling. The World Championships offer a chance to achieve a prestigious and historic victory, complementing his Grand Tour successes and enhancing his legacy as a truly versatile cyclist.
The prestige of the World Championships, coupled with the historical significance of the rainbow jersey, offers a unique and lasting impact. That being said, I feel we won’t have to wait too long to see Pogacar crush his opponents in the iconic red jersey of the Vuelta.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- You can clearly see the the posture change from slightly sitting to again out of the saddle while changing of gears in the video of the sprintabstractengineer08-11-2026
- He has already beaten Pogi twice in the TDF. the achievement is over. He cannot beat Pogi now and he only has a few years left at the top. Win Giro and compete in the TDF, maximise palmares.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- Just looked again at the photo. Yeah I stand by that. If MS had fallen over in Brands direction I don’t even think she would have hit her. You must be a UCI race commissioner. I’ll be sure to check my sock height should I ever see you on a ride. Looks like everyone else on here sees what I see.mij08-11-2026
- I said looking at the photo it doesn’t appear she deviated. Chill out, not stating my word is the final judgement. Just commenting that based on the photo I don’t see it. And BTW the Dutch coach even said she didn’t impede her.mij08-11-2026
- Blah Blah Blah !frieders308-11-2026
- MS said she was changing gears so that caused her slight deviation. Nothing was intentional.frieders308-11-2026
- How can you use a photo post incident to judge the incident itself (which is not hard to find if you’re prepared to invest the same amount of time in searching as writing that comment? It’s harsh but technically right even though this or worse is not always sanctioned in every race. The two things that went against MS (who unfortunately for her would still have won without making her mistake) are that it was not a bunch sprint where there could have been an overlooked incident or mitigating circumstances explaining a deviation. Everything was focused on just those 2, Schreiber was riding beautifully balanced which made her sudden deviation look unnatural stroke as if it could have been in some part intentional whilst she was slowly drifting ever closer towards the barrier to a point that would have reached obstruction level. In her defence, it might have been the realisation she was heading towards that that made her react suddenly and caused the deviation involuntarily. In any case, congratulations to her for the ride of her life, in people’s minds she will be credited for it.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Good boy Obviously doesn’t need that much help dealing with pressure, as some have suggested. Wiser (and humbler) than many far further along their careers. About offering him the moon, recently someone came up with an explanation of the downfall of a football great (either referring to Maradona or Portuguese Ronaldo) saying it was kind of normal after coming back from the moon, except that others, including some who actually did go to the moon like Armstrong (Neil in case anyone is too switched off to realise) didn’t go through any of the same motions after coming back. A lot of how you deal with situations has less to do with the situation than with your character.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- I think that they're not really used to dealing with this type of incident in a cyclocross race, and the situation has been magnified because it was a race for a championship title. It's very unfortunate that the race had to be decided in this way.
santiagobenites07-11-2026 - Seriously why do they keep doing stupid things like this. Its one thing to relegate when the placings are minor, when the action is blatant. But when it is ambiguous, why dont they at least take advice from some higher up to avoid embarrassing themselves. This is similar to the Halland goal when his teammate was clearly offside and interfered in play and VAR gave them the goal. if you dont have evidence you cannot convict. Even for doping they have these rulesabstractengineer07-11-2026
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Since the 2022 season, Mathieu van der Poel, Remco Evenepoel, and Tadej Pogacar have won 14 of the 17 major one-day races (Monuments, Worlds, Olympics). The only exceptions are Mohoric and Philipsen at Sanremo, and Van Baarle at Roubaix.
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