Tadej Pogacar is in Slovenia - but not to ride the European Championships

Tadej Pogačar is Slovenia but he will not ride Sunday's European Championships. A source close to the rider told Domestique that Pogačar is simply visiting family and friends.

Pogačar's partner and fellow pro rider Urška Žigart posted images of them training with Denmark's Mikkel Honoré near the Slovenian capital Ljubljana on Wednesday afternoon. The European Championships will be held close to the capital and to Pogačar's home in Komenda.

Pogačar is back in training after his Vuelta crash and collarbone surgery but UAE Team Emirates-XRG have insisted that his 2026 season is over.     

Pogačar was listed in Slovenia’s preliminary selection for the European Championships, and speculation about his participation exploded on Monday when El País reported that Pogačar was actively pushing to race the European Championships after getting medical clearance to return to racing by his Spanish surgeon.

However UAE team manager Mauro Gianetti quickly shut down the suggestions that Pogačar would race in Slovenia and then on Wednesday he was not named in the Slovenian team.

“The rider’s desire is understandable,” Gianetti told La Gazzetta dello Sporton Tuesday. “But you have to face the reality of the facts. It’s not possible, you can’t force it.”

The five-time Tour de France winner rode in the European champion's jersey after his reign as world champion ended on Sunday and UAE teammate Brandon McNulty won the world title. 

Pogačar will lose the distinctive white and blue European champion's jersey on Sunday and UAE have already prepared a team-issue jersey with rainbow bands on the sleeves for when he goes training. 

It is now expected that Pogačar will take a holiday before joining his teammates in Abu Dhabi at the UAE Team Emirates-XRG Cycling Festival on October 31.