Contract extension all but confirmed: Tadej Pogačar to stay with UAE until 2032

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar has committed to his current team for a further two years. According to cycling journalist Daniel Benson, the deal has already been finalised, even though UAE Team Emirates – XRG has not yet officially announced the extension. The negotiations apparently focused less on the Dominator’s salarynot just those of recent years, but some very specific clauses.

Negotiations in Monaco

Alex Carera, Pogačar’s agent, had told Benson on Tuesday that a meeting with team president Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri and manager Mauro Gianetti would take place in Monaco. At that point, Carera spoke of a possible contract extension until 2031. The talks were due to take place on Friday morning before the start of the Vuelta.

"We have a meeting with the team management this week. Tadej is happy, but there are still a few points that need to be discussed," Carera told Daniel Benson. "So far, we’ve been discussing an extension until 2031. It’s not about the money, but about a number of specific clauses.”

Special contract clauses for Tadej Pogačar

Carera had explained that the negotiations were not primarily about salary. Instead, the focus is on three or four specific clauses. According to Benson, these could include bonus payments, image rights, the use of a private jet and the race schedule for team-mates. The agent described the contract as “non-standard” and suggested that the negotiations could take a month.

The new agreement now even extends beyond the term originally discussed, which was until 2031. Tadej Pogačar is set to remain with UAE Team Emirates-XRG until the end of 2032.

Career planning up to 2032

In previous interviews, Pogačar had hinted that he might retire after the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. However, over the past few months, he has repeatedly emphasised his intention to fulfil his current contract, which runs until 2030. The new deal, which runs until 2032, means he will remain active beyond his 32nd birthday.

The world champion secured his fifth overall Tour de France victory in July, putting him on a par with Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. At the Vuelta a España, which starts on Saturday in Monaco, he is aiming for his first overall victory. Should he achieve this, he would have won all three Grand Tours at least once.

A successful 2026 season

Pogačar has enjoyed yet another exceptional season so far in 2026. He won Strade Bianche, Milan–San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse, before dominating the Tour de France. His only defeat in 2026 came at Paris–Roubaix, where he finished second behind Wout van Aert. The cobbled classic may also have been part of the discussions, as it is no secret that Tadej Pogačar is determined to win the race.

After the Vuelta, Pogačar will defend his world title in Montreal before competing in the European Championships on home soil in Slovenia. He will then be aiming for his sixth consecutive victory at Il Lombardia.