Tadej Pogacar contract update - UAE leader set to discuss new deal BEFORE Vuelta a Espana as 'special clauses' considered
CyclingTuesday, 18 August 2026 at 18:20
Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates future could well be signed and sealed before he rides the first kilometers of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana. Contracted until 2030 already, speculation has persisted on the Slovenian's future in the sport and whether he would sign a new deal and prolong his career beyond that date.
His agent, Alex Carera, has provided a fresh update on his plans, revealing that he and Pogacar will sit down on Friday to iron out the finer details, and that it's not money that's the issue.
'Special clauses' in contract
'Special clauses' are on the mind of Pogacar, which is understood to include perks such as bonuses, schedule control and even the use of a private jet to and from some races.
Detailing that an extension of at least one year is on the cards, the five-time Tour de France champion could be around for a long time as his dominance shows no signs of subsiding.
"We have a meeting with the team management this week. Tadej is satisfied, but there are still a few points that need to be discussed," Carera told Daniel Benson.
“So far, we have discussed an extension until 2031. It is not about the money, but about a number of special clauses."
Tadej Pogacar will ride the Vuelta a España 2026
Tadej Pogacar's UAE future
After Pogacar and his agent decide on the matter, it's then up to him to discuss with the team as Carera stressed that a confirmation is still come distance away.
“The intention to extend is certainly there. We are meeting in Monaco on Friday morning, but we are all taking our time with it. Maybe even a month, because it is not a standard contract."
The Vuelta kicks off in Monaco, on Pogacar's doorstep, on Saturday and the 27-year-old appears primed to take control of the Spanish Grand Tour early on. With several mountain stages in the first week, the UAE leader could have a firm grip on the red jersey heading into the second week.
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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- I only came on as a fan in 2019, by which time both of them had committed to other teams. So I never did get the story of how the most important classics team in modern cycling missed out on the two best classics riders of their generation. MVDP would have been a perfect fit in terms of personality and programming, but Wout is of course Belgian. It has worked out spectacularly well for both of them with other teams, but it was an epic miss by Lefevere and Soudal.MidnightRider18-08-2026
- So another rider flies the coop, even a 20 yearold can see the mess this team is in. Hope NetCompany buy out the rest of the contract, move to Europe and rebuild from the top. Thomas has to be the 1st to go.
Senna196018-08-2026 - "How to Destroy a 50 million Cycling Team"abstractengineer18-08-2026
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- Or even on the bike ;-) And not THAT good if you remember all his podcast cheap shots at certain riders.Jumpyjohn18-08-2026
- Some points here to consider. No matter how much money anyone makes, they are still free to decide whatever is theirs to decide. We can extend this discussion to for example, paying your taxes (in your own country). I would be interested to hear your opinion on this point which seems so relevant for someone with such an old-fashionioned opinion that I’m surprised you didn’t include it in your list of patriotic obligations. I am also quite sure that there are situations in which it becomes totally justifiable to refuse the kind of patriotism others attempt to impose on you (even if just tacitly through years of brainwashing). Now, maybe that’s hard to relate to cycling, but, having followed this exchange for a while now, it stands out to me that you are only particularly concerned about ONE person’s attitude to this and not the issue itself. It seems more like it’s just a good excuse to bash on someone you don’t like. Would you maybe care to prove your stance on this is based on principles by giving us a short review of other riders who avoided/refused representing their country in recent years and the validity of their reasons (at least where given, because it seems you’re also assuming a lot about Vingegaards’).Jumpyjohn18-08-2026
- This is a great signing for Pinarello. He will grow well there.Pedalmasher18-08-2026
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