Milan, Aug. 20 (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, equaling the record, and after triumphing at the 2024 Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta is the only Grand Tour he has yet to win. It was at the 2019 Vuelta, at just 20 years old, that Pogacar made his Grand Tour debut, winning three stages and finishing third, which remains his worst overall result in the three-week races. Since then, the Slovenian has not competed in the Vuelta, but he has been included in this year’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG lineup. He will seek to become the ninth cyclist to complete the treble. “It was my first Grand Tour ever in 2019 and it was an incredible experience,” 27-year-old Pogacar said after the team’s lineup was announced. “Spain is a country I love to visit and race in, and I think it’s the right time to go back.” It has been a fantastic year for Pogacar, who won the stage races at the Tour de Suisse and Tour de Romandie. He also claimed victories in one-day classics, such as Milan-San Remo. With his third consecutive Tour de France victory, Pogacar joined Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Frenchmen 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 Belgian 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 compete in the Vuelta. Vingegaard himself won this year’s Giro d’Italia, thus completing his own treble 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 a double with the Tour: “It’s the right time”
Milan, Aug. 20 (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, equaling the record, and after triumphing at the 2024 Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta is the only Grand Tour he has yet to win. It was at the 2019 Vuelta, at just 20 years old, that Pogacar made his Grand Tour debut, winning three stages and finishing third, which remains his worst overall result in the three-week races. Since then, the Slovenian has not competed in the Vuelta, but he has been included in this year’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG lineup. He will seek to become the ninth cyclist to complete the treble. “It was my first Grand Tour ever in 2019 and it was an incredible experience,” 27-year-old Pogacar said after the team’s lineup was announced. “Spain is a country I love to visit and race in, and I think it’s the right time to go back.” It has been a fantastic year for Pogacar, who won the stage races at the Tour de Suisse and Tour de Romandie. He also claimed victories in one-day classics, such as Milan-San Remo. With his third consecutive Tour de France victory, Pogacar joined Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Frenchmen 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 Belgian 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 compete in the Vuelta. Vingegaard himself won this year’s Giro d’Italia, thus completing his own treble in the three Grand Tours. The Dane was the last rider to win the Tour de France before Pogacar’s run of victories.