Liam Duckstein
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Tadej Pogacar will ride the 2026 Vuelta a España, ending months of speculation over the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader’s return to the Spanish Grand Tour. The confirmation marks his first appearance at La Vuelta since 2019.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG announced the news on Monday, stating that Pogacar will co-lead the squad alongside João Almeida. The team kept the announcement simple: “It’s true – he’s coming back.”
Pogacar Eyes Tour-Vuelta Double After Historic July
Pogacar won the Tour de France last month in dominant style, equaling the record for five general classification victories and setting a new climbing record on Alpe d’Huez during stage 19. As the Slovenian marched to the yellow jersey, both he and his team refused to rule out a Vuelta return, and the speculation proved well-founded.
His history with La Vuelta dates to 2019, when he contested his debut Grand Tour, claimed three stage wins, and stepped onto the podium in third. Since his maiden Tour de France title the following year, he has not returned to the Spanish race.
The 2026 edition opens in Monaco, where Pogacar currently resides, before the route moves through Andorra, across Northern Spain, and down to Andalusia. The parcours features over 58,000 meters of climbing, seven summit finishes, and two time trials, making Pogacar the clear favorite for his first red jersey.
World Championships Window Creates Tight Schedule
One concern surrounding his participation has been the potential conflict with a third consecutive World Championships title. La Vuelta runs from August 22nd to September 13th, leaving a narrow recovery window before the Montreal road race on September 27th, where Pogacar will face Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert.
Jonas Vingegaard is another name linked to the Worlds start list, though his participation remains uncertain after a Tour de France crash left him with a broken collarbone. He has not ruled out a return to racing in time.
“I actually don’t know yet; it depends on how the collarbone reacts, and how it heals, and how it recovers. It’s not out of the question for me, but I also don’t want to say now that it’s going to happen.” — Jonas Vingegaard
Vingegaard has rarely featured in one-day races across his career and has never started the World Championships road race at elite level, with his last appearance in the event coming in the under-23 category back in 2018.
With the route built for climbers and Pogacar arriving as the reigning Tour champion and world champion, the 2026 Vuelta a España shapes up as one of the most anticipated Grand Tours in recent memory. Stay with TipsGG for continued coverage as the season progresses.