Tadej Pogačar will not race La Vuelta a España in August, choosing instead to focus on his recovery after winning a fourth men’s Tour de France title.
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider has opted to take a month break, missing the Spanish Grand Tour road cycling stage race, and is expected to be back competing at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal in September.
“I have fantastic memories there from 2019, but now the body is telling me to rest,” Pogačar said of La Vuelta, in the team announcement on Tuesday (July 29).
“I’m excited to go back to Canada; the races are tough but beautiful, and they fit my style well. I’ll be aiming to be back racing well again for that part of the season and for the World Championships, especially.”
The Olympic bronze medallist hopes to have recovered for his world champion title defence in Rwanda in late August and also chase a fifth Il Lombardia title.
“The idea this year was for Tadej to return to the Vuelta, but the season has been a long one for him. We spoke and agreed that the best thing for him now is to take a good rest and build up to his final season goals,” the team’s sports manager Matxin Fernández said.
The 26-year-old also missed the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, opting to focus on his Tour de France campaign.
In his absence, João Almeida and Juan Ayuso will start as co-leaders of the team, when the final men’s Grand Tour of 2025 gets underway on August 23.