Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG will target the Vuelta a España starting Saturday, August 22, 2026, from his home base in Monaco, pursuing the final Grand Tour victory missing from his palmares, according to cycling reports. The announcement arrives as the 27-year-old Slovenian star closes in on a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title.
Alpe d’Huez Victory Propels Pogacar Toward History
Pogacar solidified his command of the 2026 Tour de France by claiming a stage 19 victory on Alpe d’Huez. According to BBC Sport, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider pulled more than three minutes back on a breakaway group during the hors-category climb, completing the ascent in a record time of 35 minutes 27 seconds. That mark surpassed the previous climb record set by Italy’s Marco Pantani in 1997.
“It was very cool to win up here – it was a crazy atmosphere all climb and I’m thankful for the team that I could pull it off,” Pogacar said, as reported by BBC Sport. “When I heard some of the guys [were] dropped when [team-mate] Felix [Grosschartner] set a super good pace at the beginning of the climb, I was already going full gas, as the breakaway was so strong.”
General Classification Standings Ahead of the Vuelta
Heading into the final stages of the Tour, Pogacar holds a commanding lead of seven minutes 11 seconds over Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Meanwhile, Pogacar’s Mexican team-mate Isaac del Toro sits in third place, nine minutes 42 seconds adrift, while continuing to wear the white jersey as the leader of the young riders’ classification, per BBC Sport reporting.
Stage 19 saw France’s Lenny Martinez of Bahrain-Victorious finish second, six seconds behind Pogacar, while Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost took third place three seconds further back.
The Road to Monaco and the Vuelta 2026
With his sights set on the Spanish national tour, Pogacar aims to complete his collection of all three Grand Tours. The Vuelta a España begins on August 22, 2026, in Monaco.
What Comes Next
The 2026 Tour de France peloton returns to Alpe d’Huez on Saturday for the race’s mountainous queen stage, featuring an additional 2,000 meters of climbing before the final run into Paris.
- DFB Announces Investigation After Mannheim vs. Kaiserslautern Derby Chaos and Riots
- Frosinone in Turmoil: American Owners Sign Players Behind Coach and Sporting Director’s Back
- AFL Swans Scandal: Trade Targets and Fallout Explained (archyde.com)
- Miss Grand USA Mekyla Li stripped of crown over hit-and-run charges (newsarchyuk.com)
