Pogacar ends retirement rumours; could start 2026 in March; shares thoughts on Remco Evenepoel: "It scares me that he would get better"
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar is having no thoughts of retiring anytime soon despite the potential for it that began after his exhausting fourth Tour de France win. He is staying with UAE Team Emirates - XRG until 2030, and in recent interviews he has discussed also Remco Evenepoel who could emerge as his new top rival.
"I never had an idea to leave cycling in 2028. I signed a contract with UAE Team Emirates - XRG 2030 and unless something crazy happens i will respect it," Ciro Scognamiglio reported. "Every year the team is better and becomes a family for me".
After the Tour de France he was quite exhausted mentally and 2028 was a key point in the next few years due to the Los Angeles Olympic Games, a title he does not yet have. But for another two years he's staying on board, including a possible 2029 Slovenian Tour de France start.
"Still enjoying my victories? I did take time to relax with nice people around me. In Mallorca we were able to enjoy another week of beautiful weather. I also had some good training sessions behind me," Pogacar shared with Sporza. He is preparing for the 2026 season, and is said to possibly be starting it only at Strade Bianche in March. It was heavily rumoured that he could start it at Tour Down Under next season but this remains not too likely.
Remco Evenepoel, his new rival
His main goals, without a doubt (in the spring) are the two monuments that he hasn't conquered yet, and saw Mathieu van der Poel get in the way last year. "The Tour is and remains the Tour. I would like to compete again for wins in Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix, yes. Winning a classic like that is much bigger than going there thinking you can win."
He was asked about Remco Evenepoel, who has signed with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe: "For Remco, the change could be good. He went from one super team to another. It will be interesting if he can make another step. I hope not, because I think he's already pretty strong and dominant. It scares me that he would get better. Although I think he will do well. The whole world will follow his coming steps with great interest".
For Pogacar at the moment, his priority is to enjoy life and balance things out things as best as possible: "Maybe I can't do better in terms of results on the bike, but I can do better in daily life. The meaning of life is to be happy and to do good for others. So I want to find a good balance".
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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leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
santiagobenites02-11-2026 - guillaume martin in this list is quite a surprise as a gc rider.Ketterechts02-11-2026
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