Pogacar sets date for first outing since Vuelta crash

Tadej Pogačar is once again set to headline the 2026 edition of the BeKing Monaco criterium event on 29 November alongside Urška Žigart. 

The Slovenian duo confirmed their participation in a video posted to the official BeKing social media channels on Saturday afternoon, where they also announced one of the new features for the 2026 edition, the “Children’s Ambassador Program.”

The BeKing event, created by Matteo Trentin in 2021, features both a men’s and women’s criterium alongside a pro/am event and a kids ride, with “all of this aiming towards one common objective: to support two charitable associations.”

Pogačar soloed to victory in the shortened 2024 edition, which was affected by adverse weather conditions.

It will mark Pogačar’s return to action following his season-ending crash at the Vuelta a España at the end of August. Meanwhile, Žigart hasn’t raced since the Faun Tour Femmes in September, where she suffered a broken jaw on stage 3. 

Pogačar was unable to defend his World and European titles in September due to the nature of the injuries he sustained at the Vuelta. 

UAE Team Emirates-XRG CEO Mauro Gianetti later confirmed that Pogačar’s desire to race the European Championships in Slovenia was very real, but ultimately the decision was made not to participate.