Milan, 20 August (LaPresse) – Tadej Pogacar is aiming to complete the Grand Tour treble when the Vuelta a España gets underway this weekend in Monaco. In July, Pogacar claimed his fifth Tour de France title, equalling the record; following his victory in the 2024 Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta is the only Grand Tour he has yet to win. It was at the 2019 Vuelta, aged just 20, that Pogacar made his Grand Tour debut, winning three stages and finishing third – which remains his worst overall result in the three-week race. The Slovenian has not competed in the Vuelta since then, but has been included in this year’s line-up by UAE Team Emirates-XRG. He will be aiming to become the ninth cyclist to complete the hat-trick. “It was my very first Grand Tour ever in 2019 and it was an incredible experience,” said the 27-year-old Pogacar following the announcement of the team line-up. “Spain is a country I love visiting and racing in, and I think it’s the right time to return there.” It has been a fantastic year for Pogacar, who won the stage races at the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie. He has also claimed victories in one-day classics, such as Milan–San Remo. With his third consecutive victory at the Tour de France, Pogacar joined Belgium’s Eddy Merckx, Spain’s Miguel Indurain and France’s Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to have won five Tour titles. Pogacar finished the race 6 minutes and 26 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel in the general classification. Jonas Vingegaard, long considered Pogacar’s main rival, crashed during the 15th stage of the Tour. He fractured his collarbone and will not be taking part in the Vuelta. It was Vingegaard himself who won this year’s Giro d’Italia, thereby completing his hat-trick of victories in the three Grand Tours. The Dane was the last rider to win the Tour de France before Pogacar’s run of victories.
Vuelta: Pogacar aims for the double with the Tour: ‘It’s the right time’
Milan, 20 August (LaPresse) – Tadej Pogacar is aiming to complete the Grand Tour treble when the Vuelta a España gets underway this weekend in Monaco. In July, Pogacar claimed his fifth Tour de France title, equalling the record; following his victory in the 2024 Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta is the only Grand Tour he has yet to win. It was at the 2019 Vuelta, aged just 20, that Pogacar made his Grand Tour debut, winning three stages and finishing third – which remains his worst overall result in the three-week race. The Slovenian has not competed in the Vuelta since then, but has been included in this year’s line-up by UAE Team Emirates-XRG. He will be aiming to become the ninth cyclist to complete the hat-trick. “It was my very first Grand Tour ever in 2019 and it was an incredible experience,” said the 27-year-old Pogacar following the announcement of the team line-up. “Spain is a country I love visiting and racing in, and I think it’s the right time to return there.” It has been a fantastic year for Pogacar, who won the stage races at the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie. He has also claimed victories in one-day classics, such as Milan–San Remo. With his third consecutive victory at the Tour de France, Pogacar joined Belgium’s Eddy Merckx, Spain’s Miguel Indurain and France’s Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to have won five Tour titles. Pogacar finished the race 6 minutes and 26 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel in the general classification. Jonas Vingegaard, long considered Pogacar’s main rival, crashed during the 15th stage of the Tour. He fractured his collarbone and will not be taking part in the Vuelta. It was Vingegaard himself who won this year’s Giro d’Italia, thereby completing his hat-trick of victories in the three Grand Tours. The Dane was the last rider to win the Tour de France before Pogacar’s run of victories.