Just over a week after his fifth overall victory in the Tour de France, cycling star Tadej Pogacar has confirmed his participation in the Vuelta. The Slovenian world champion is hoping to fill one of the few gaps in his impressive track record. The 27-year-old has not yet won the three-week Tour of Spain, which begins on 22 August in Pogacar’s adopted home of Monaco. In his only appearance to date, in 2019, he finished third.
If Pogacar wins the Vuelta, he would become the ninth professional cyclist to have won all three Grand Tours. The last rider to achieve this was his rival Jonas Vingegaard. In addition to his five Tour de France victories, Pogacar also won the Giro d’Italia in 2024. After the Tour de France, he had left his participation in the Vuelta open.
All the Grand Tours in a single year?
Cycling legend Eddy Merckx believes Pogacar is capable of winning all three Grand Tours in a single season. However, that would probably mean the Slovenian would have to prioritise the Grand Tours over the major classics.
Following the Vuelta, Pogacar is likely to turn his attention to the World Championships in Canada. The challenging road course in Montreal should suit him well. It would be his third World Championship title in a row – a feat last achieved by the Slovakian Peter Sagan.
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