Tadej Pogacar has officially ruled himself out of the 2025 Vuelta a España, shelving what would have been a historic attempt to complete the Grand Tour triple. Fresh off a grueling but victorious Tour de France, the Slovenian has chosen recovery over rivalry, stepping back to let his body recuperate. In his absence, UAE Team Emirates-XRG will rally behind João Almeida and Juan Ayuso as co-leaders for Spain’s marquee race.
Following his fourth Tour de France crown, Pogacar left the door ajar about a possible Vuelta start, citing the need to evaluate his physical condition. That decision is now settled. “After such a demanding Tour, we decided it was best to take a break,” Pogacar said. “The Vuelta is a race I’d love to return to—I have amazing memories from 2019—but right now, the body is asking for rest.”
Pogacar’s calendar will now pivot to the Canadian WorldTour one-day races in Quebec and Montreal this September, ahead of defending his rainbow jersey at the UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda. “I’m excited to go back to Canada,” he added. “The parcours suit my strengths, and it’s a great build-up to Worlds. That’s the next big target.”
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His absence removes the prospect of another thrilling duel with Jonas Vingegaard, who chased him all the way to the Champs-Élysées this July but fell short in the yellow jersey battle. A Vuelta rematch between cycling’s two modern gladiators will have to wait.
Instead, Almeida and Ayuso will front UAE’s ambitions. For Almeida, it’s a chance to rewrite the script after a nasty crash forced him out of the Tour on Stage 9. “It’s special to start the Vuelta as a team leader, especially given my form earlier this year,” he said. “Recovery has gone well, and training feels strong. We’ve got the depth to aim high.”
He’ll be flanked by a seasoned squad: Mikkel Bjerg, Felix Großschartner, Domen Novak, Ivo Oliveira, Marc Soler, and Jay Vine. Combined with Ayuso’s climbing finesse and Almeida’s all-round engine, UAE looks poised for an aggressive GC campaign.
As Pogacar turns the page, all eyes now shift to his teammates—young talents stepping into the spotlight at a race where future legends are often born.