"The difference in potential between Pogacar and the rest is what it is, but he's a legend" - Vuelta director explains why races want UAE rider despite domination
CyclingWednesday, 19 August 2026 at 13:14
Tadej Pogacar's Vuelta a España return is upon us as the UAE Team Emirates rider returns to the race where he made his first major breakthrough - seven years on from his debut. Six Grand Tour victories and dozens of marquee victories later, the Slovenian is favourite to complete the Spanish Grand Tour.
After several seasons of trying to entice Pogacar to Spain, the stars aligned for organisors in their bid to lure him to La Vuelta. For race director Javier Guillén, Pogacar's participation is big business.
Labelling Pogacar the purest of spectacles in the sport of cycling, Guillén hopes that fans are in for an exciting edition of the race, despite reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard not returning to defend his title. A climbing heavy route with mountains at the forefront is set to be a showcase for cycling fans.
"I expect a Vuelta that's exciting right to the end, as is always our wish. We have a very challenging and varied route, dominated by mountains, which is very much to the spectator's liking," Javier Guillén told EFE.
"Furthermore, with the great novelty of Pogacar's participation, the Vuelta will be even more spectacular. The Slovenian is a legend of world sport; he is pure spectacle and cycling in its purest form."
Tadej Pogacar
Pogacar set to dominate La Vuelta
Pogacar brings domination to the race. With his nearest challengers to the title unlikely to pose a significant challenge to the two-time world champion. However, what the race does get with Pogacar's presence is attention - and lots of it. Boosted media attention and higher amounts of fans roadside are what attracts the race organisers to push for his start.
"I was absolutely thrilled with the announcement of Pogacar's participation. It was a dream come true for the Vuelta. We always want the best, and he is the best."
He added: "The difference in potential between Pogacar and the rest is what it is, but he's a legend, and with him comes the spectacle; he's a unique rider. His presence fulfils a kind of wish we had been putting off, since he hasn't participated since his debut in 2019."
Guillén said that "Pogacar's presence is important." His mere presence ensures the race "will have greater media coverage, and also more attention from the roadside."
"We'll see how he feels after the Tour, but he starts as the clear favourite, and also as an incentive for his rivals because they'll be facing the best," he said.
Strong startlist including Wout van Aert and Primoz Roglic
"What we want from the organization is excitement until the very end, but in the end, the road decides. He dominated the Tour by a wide margin, but it was an entertaining race. I'd like to see some of Pogacar's displays of skill."
Despite Pogacar's expected domination, a varied field also includes some of cycling's biggest hiters - like Wout van Aert, Primoz Roglic, Richard Carapaz, Mads Pedersen and Enric Mas - making up for the absence of Tour de France stars like Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel.
He added: "We have the best possible field. Besides Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, winner of four Vueltas, will be at the start, as will Wout Van Aert, always a great contender, Richard Carapaz, who had a great Tour as King of the Mountains, and Movistar will bring a very strong team, with Enric Mas full of enthusiasm. We won't have Evenepoel, Seixas, or Vingegaard, but the field is good."
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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- VIsma isnt even a rival to UAE anymore, two different worlds UAE. Visma declined alot and If what i read everywhere Visma is broke and it wont be any signing campain and whole team is kinda declining but I hope they sign alot they need it looks like they cant keep up with the likes of Lidl and redbull aswell now.miguel19-08-2026
- I meant insane as insanely good. They are just so many steps ahead of the rest all the time and this another stellar signing, good engine and age..miguel19-08-2026
- Pogi vs everyone will be interesting. Cyclists fighting for second and third place will be intersting.PogiSloFans19-08-2026
- Will they give Jonas a commission for triggering Tadej into completing the trilogy?Jumpyjohn19-08-2026
- hmmm, another rider showing up for worlds knowing he won't win it, knowing he isn't a one day racer, but proud to represent his country.mij19-08-2026
- I read sarcasm in it seems to be a suggestion in answer to another person not a general one. But even without, why is it so , a lot of people in a lot of countries are proud and ready to do combat without questioning the reasons, legitimacy or consequences. You do realise an enormous number of people (and institutions) bet / invest for returns that grow through wars no? So perhaps (discretely) a lot who run no personal risk do wish for it, there are certainly some trigger happy leaders out there.Jumpyjohn19-08-2026
- Elsewhere, someone was heaping praise on PL for having insisted on performance based pay.Jumpyjohn19-08-2026
- I have never heard him complain about the money he makes, what are you on about? I hear plenty of people complaining or arguing over minutes of overtime or reduced cigarette breaks or not being allowed to take company pencils home and then they take rolls of toilet paper. Almost everyone complains about what doesn’t work for them and most of it is petty. Expose your world to us so we can check you’re not being a hypocrite about complaining when others feel you’re well enough off. And believe me, there are billions of people out there who will judge you the way you’re judging him.Jumpyjohn19-08-2026
- Sounds like he’s been paying attention to how Jonas manages his contracts.Jumpyjohn19-08-2026
- And once again we have a former professional cyclist saying Pogi is the Greatest Of All Time- THE G.O.A.T. ... After the year 2024, it keeps happening over and over again. Active professional cyclists, former professional cyclists, cycling experts, cycling podcasters are saying it. But we still have hypocritic fools, also on this site, saying: "NO NO NO... Merckx is the GOAT, look at his palmares." ... Don't insult my intelligence and stop lying to yourselves and to others. Don't be hypocrits just because you hate Pogi.PogiSloFans19-08-2026
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