'Pogacar set for lighter spring and unfinished business in 2026'

“My bucket list for 2026? From the Monuments, I still miss Sanremo and Roubaix,” Pogačar said after his latest triumph in Bergamo.

His remarks came after a season that stretched his limits both physically and mentally. While Pogačar made history by becoming the first rider to stand on the podium in all five Monuments in a single year, he also confessed that the intensity of the season took its toll. “I don’t want to look too far ahead to 2026 yet,” he said. “First I need some rest before the casino starts again.”

Pogačar’s demanding spring schedule may have contributed to the sense of mental fatigue he felt during this year’s Tour de France. Between early March and late April, he started seven major races: Strade Bianche, Milan–Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, finishing on the podium in all of them and winning four.

For 2026, both rider and team are considering a slightly lighter programme according to HLN. Paris–Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race may be dropped to allow a two-week break between Flanders and Liège, giving the world champion time to recover and refocus.

That plan contrasts slightly with Pogačar’s stated bucket list for 2026. UAE manager Mauro Gianetti, however, has often voiced concerns about his leader’s participation in Roubaix, citing the risks involved so close to the Tour de France.

A lighter spring programme, however, could open new opportunities, including a possible return to the Giro d’Italia after his triumphant 2024 campaign, while the Vuelta a España will likely have to wait. Within Pogačar’s camp, combining the Tour de France, the Vuelta and the World Championships is considered unrealistic. The Tour will likely remain a priority as long as the record of six victories is within reach, while the mountainous World Championships in Montreal (2026) and Sallanches (2027) are perfectly suited to his climbing style.

As a result, the Vuelta may stay on hold until 2028, when the World Championships take place in Abu Dhabi. The flat course there would offer fewer chances for Pogačar to win, but given his team’s roots in the UAE, it is likely he will still be present.

One race that already looks certain on next year’s calendar is the European Championships, held in his home country of Slovenia in October. It will be a special occasion, and a title he will be eager to defend in front of his own fans.

Pogačar will end 2025 with 20 UCI victories, a perfect Monument record, and a congratulatory call from Eddy Merckx. The “Cannibal” comparison may not be one he enjoys, but as long as there are races left to win, Tadej Pogačar’s appetite clearly isn’t fading.