Pogacar’s goals for 2027: A Tour record, World Championship gold and his final Grand Tour

It comes as little surprise that the Tour of Spain is right at the top of his list of priorities. Pogacar was leading the 2026 Vuelta, having already secured three stage wins, and seemed to be on course for his first overall victory before a Serious crash on the eighth stage forced to give up.

The Vuelta: an unresolved chapter

In an interview with the Slovenian broadcaster RTV SLO, the captain of UAE Team Emirates-XRG made it clear that the Vuelta has now become a matter close to his heart. After all, it is the only Grand Tour still missing from the 28-year-old’s impressive track record. Even though, by his own admission, he would prefer the Giro d’Italia, he said he would have to “tick off” the Vuelta “at some point”.

The 2027 calendar makes the task particularly challenging. There are just six days between the World Championships road race and the start of the Vuelta: the Tour of Spain begins on 4 September, following the men’s World Championships road race, which takes place in France on 29 August.

On the way to a solo Tour record

Ahead of the Vuelta, however, Pogacar faces what may well be the greatest historic opportunity of his career. With his fifth Tour de France victory in the summer of 2026, he would draw level with the previous record-holders Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. Another victory would make him the first rider in history to have secured six recognised overall victories in the Tour de France.

Given his dominance in recent years, this goal does not seem at all unrealistic, but rather almost a logical consequence. The Slovenian has already won the last three editions of the Tour in a row.

Get the rainbow jersey back

The third major goal is to reclaim the rainbow jersey. After Pogacar won the World Championships in 2024 and 2025, his attempt to defend his title again in 2026 was thwarted by the aftermath of his crash in the Vuelta. The 2027 World Championships will take place on the extremely demanding course around Sallanches and Domancy in France. With 265 kilometres, around 5,700 metres of climbing and numerous ascents of the steep Côte de Domancy, the profile is likely to suit the explosive climber.

What about Paris–Roubaix?

What is striking, however, is which race Pogacar failed to mention when outlining his goals: Paris–Roubaix. Yet this cobbled classic in particular would be yet another historic milestone. Following his victories at Milan–San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and the Tour of Lombardy, all that remains for him to win is ‘Hell of the North’ to have claimed all five Monuments of cycling.

Pogacar has come close twice before. On his debut in 2025, he was beaten by Mathieu van der Poel, and in 2026 he finished second behind Wout van Aert. It therefore seems entirely possible that, despite not being mentioned, Paris–Roubaix will once again feature in his programme.

A comeback is already on the horizon

The good news for Pogacar’s fans: his rehabilitation appears to be going according to plan. The Slovenian is already training regularly again and plans to compete with a race number for the first time since his crash in the Vuelta at the BEKING charity criterium in Monaco on 29 November. Together with his partner Urška Žigart, he will be taking part in the charity event there.

If everything goes to plan, 2027 could turn out to be one of the most significant seasons of Pogacar’s career. A Tour record, a World Championship title and a maiden victory in the Vuelta would be an extraordinary triple achievement, even for a rider of his calibre. And perhaps Paris–Roubaix might even add a fourth historic chapter to the story.