Tadej Pogačar has set his sights on conquering the Vuelta a España in 2027, confirming his grand tour ambitions following an injury-shortened season. The Slovenian rider outlined a demanding summer campaign that features a bid for a sixth Tour de France yellow jersey, a run at the World Championships in Haute-Savoie, and the Vuelta a España.
Recovery and the 2027 Grand Tour Calendar
Pogačar is currently in pretraining following a severe crash on August 29 during the eighth stage of the 2026 Vuelta a España. Riding toward Gandía, the UAE Team Emirates rider struck a large stone on the road at approximately 32 kilometers from the finish line, suffering a broken and dislocated left collarbone, a cervical vertebra fracture, and a concussion. He dismissed alternative explanations for the accident as false reports. After undergoing successful surgery and completing his off-season rest, Pogačar resumed training last week. He plans to make his first public appearance on November 29 at the Beking 2026 event in Monaco alongside his partner, cyclist Urška Žigart.
During an appearance at a charity golf event in Volčji Potok on Sunday, and in statements to the Slovenian broadcaster RTV SLO, the leader of the peloton revealed his initial intentions for the upcoming campaign. El objetivo para el año que viene sería, obviamente, el Campeonato del Mundo, combinado con el Tour y la Vuelta. Aunque preferiría correr el Giro, tendré que completar la Vuelta en algún momento. Creo que ese será mi objetivo para el año que viene,
he explained. He noted that competition will not resume for him until next season, adding, La mayor parte de nuestro equipo sigue en activo esta temporada, pero yo ya he terminado el descanso entre temporadas. La semana pasada empecé la nueva temporada y ahora toca prepararse poco a poco para el futuro,
and La semana que viene iremos todos juntos a Abu Dabi, donde tenemos compromisos con los patrocinadores, incluyendo una salida en bicicleta con los aficionados. También será una oportunidad para reunirme con la dirección del equipo y hablar del calendario.
Regarding the Beking event, which combines competition, popular activities, and social commitment with children, he stated, Este año lanzamos un nuevo programa de embajadores infantiles que les dará a nuestros aficionados la oportunidad de formar parte del evento de una manera muy especial.
Pogačar also remarked on the historic weight of his summer goals, noting that a sixth Tour victory in July would surpass the five titles held by Induráin, Hinault, Merckx, and Anquetil, while Lance Armstrong was erased from history regarding his seven Tours due to his doping connections.
Balancing the Tour, World Championships, and La Vuelta
The 2027 schedule places three major objectives across three intense months during the European summer. The 114th Tour de France will start on July 2 in Edinburgh, featuring three opening stages across Great Britain before the full route is formally presented in Paris. Following July, Pogačar will target the UCI World Championships in Haute-Savoie, France, scheduled for August 29 over a 265-kilometer course with 5,700 meters of vertical climbing. Just six days after the world title race, the Vuelta a España will launch on September 4 from Galicia, running through September 26. Pogačar acknowledged that while he would also like to ride the Giro d’Italia, completing the Spanish grand tour remains his primary missing stage-race puzzle.
The elite men’s world championship race is set for Sunday, August 29, in the Haute-Savoie region, following a route between Sallanches and Domancey reminiscent of the layout where Hinault secured the title in 1980. Pogačar aims for the Spanish round—the only major multi-stage race he has yet to win, following five Tours and one Giro—after a crash forced him to withdraw from the 2026 edition while leading the general classification, which subsequently caused him to miss the Montreal World Championships, the European Championships held in his home country, and Il Lombardia, where he has triumphed five times.
Spring Classics and Route Speculation in the Basque Country
Before the summer grand tours, Pogačar’s spring calendar may see adjustments compared to previous campaigns. UAE Team Emirates officials have discussed a potential return to the Tour Down Under in Australia, where Pogačar made his WorldTour debut in 2019. Such an early-season start could reduce his workload in the spring. While victories in Strade Bianche, Milan-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège defined his 2026 spring season, participation in Paris-Roubaix remains undecided after two runner-up finishes. If he bypasses the French monument, the Itzulia Basque Country remains an alternative to help him eventually capture every major one-week stage race. Organizers have not yet unveiled the official route for the 2027 Vuelta a España, leaving open the question of whether the Pyrenean stage or early transitions will route the peloton through the Basque Country.
His 2026 spring campaign featured victories at his fourth Strade Bianche, his first Milan-Sanremo, his third Tour of Flanders, his fourth Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the stage races of Romandy and Switzerland. Following his victory at Milan-Sanremo, indicators point toward Pogačar contesting his first Monument in Flanders next year, alongside a potential return to Paris-Roubaix following consecutive second-place finishes—losing out to Van der Poel in one and to Van Aert in another. If he does not compete in Paris-Roubaix, the Itzulia Basque Country stands ready as an alternative, fulfilling his longstanding interest in racing in Euskadi.
