Tadej Pogacar arrives in Slovenia but won't ride the European Championships - UAE rider pictured without unique jersey for first time in two years
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar has landed in Slovenia ahead of the European Championships being raced in his home country. However, as he continues his rehabilitation from a broken collarbone and C7 vertebrae, he will not be on the start line on Sunday. The Tour de France winner is reportedly in his home country to visit friends and family.
Reports emerged earlier this week that the Slovenian was pushing his UAE Team Emirates- XRG team to allow him to represent Slovenia at the championships, which are held just a week after the World Championships - which the 28-year-old missed due to his injuries.
Losing his rainbow jersey to teammate Brandon McNulty, Pogacar had a week to ride as the European champion too after he took victory in the race in France last year. But as a new European champion is set to be crowned this weekend, fans will see Pogacar ride next season with just the regular UAE jersey and rainbow bands.
Pogacar's absence from the European Championships road race has now been confirmed as Slovenia announced their lineup for the upcoming races. He had been ruled out of competition but reportedly wanted to return for the European Championships at 'home'.
Tadej Pogacar
Pogacar's European Championships return ruled out
He is reported to have contacted the doctor that operated him in Barcelona, but that his push to return to competition was not something UAE Team Emirates - XRG wanted.
Still, there had been speculation. The European Championships organizers revealed a startlist with the defending champion's name on it - which is believed to have been outdated. The speculation would continue all the way up until the Slovenian team would be confirmed.
Primoz Roglic will lead the team in his absence, the line-up will also include Gal Glivar, Matevz Govekar, Luka Mezgec, Matej Mohoric, Jan Tratnik, Domen Novak and Jakob Omrzel. On the 7th of October, Roglic and Tratnik will also compete in the time trial event.
Pogacar to ride without unique jersey
In recent seasons, fans have grown accustomed to Pogacar's presence in races marked by his jersey. From wearing the leader's jersey or classifications jersey in stage races and Grand Tours, to his iconic rainbow jersey stint that has seen him wear it for two years.
Pogacar won the 2024 and 2025 World Championships, lighting up the classics with the iconic of the rainbow jersey before his dominance of races saw him throw on the leader's jersey for the majority of most he participated in.
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Pogacar will wear the standard UAE Team Emirates- XRG jersey, but with the rainbow bands on its sleeves marking his previous achievements. His next opportunity to gain a new jersey would be if he was to win the 2027 Slovenian national championships time trial or road race in June.
Fans can get a first look at Pogacar's new jersey on UAE Team Emirates - XRG's website, where his rider profile has been updated.
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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- for what?frieders311-11-2026
- Blah blah blah!frieders311-11-2026
- Where Merckx just rode every single race he could and won all the time, Hinault won less often (percentage wise) because he was more judicious in what he raced. His palmares are nuts. He had amazing rivals, one to start his career and another to end it in the grand tours. His classics were solid. What sets him apart from Merckx and Pogačar are that he basically dabbled in the classics while the other two love(d) them. I used to compare Pogačar to Hinault for his grand tour record and occasional classics win, until I realized that the comparison was wrong. Pogačar loves the classics - ah, the memory of his reaction to finishing fourth in a 2 person sprint in Flanders in ‘22: utter domination in any one day race since then, even when he doesn’t win. Hinault lived for the grand tours and I don’t think anyone else will ever reach his record. 10 wins in 13 attempts? Good lord. An amazing rider. Wish there was more footage to watch.RidesHills11-11-2026
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
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