UAE play down early Pogacar comeback after surprise European Championship start list appearance

His appearance on the list has raised fresh questions over the possibility of a late return to competition following the injuries that ended his Vuelta a España campaign.

Pogačar has been recovering since a heavy crash on stage eight of the Vuelta, which abruptly ended both his bid for overall victory and his hopes of completing the full set of Grand Tour titles. The Slovenian had already won three stages and built a commanding lead in the general classification before the incident.

Medical examinations later revealed a concussion, a displaced fracture of his left collarbone, a stable fracture of the C7 vertebra in his neck and multiple abrasions.

The severity of those injuries immediately cast doubt over the remainder of his season. His team initially left the door open to a possible appearance at the World Championships in Canada, but that option was eventually ruled out as his recovery took priority.

UAE later confirmed that Pogačar would not race again in 2026 when announcing his contract extension through 2032, making his appearance on the official European Cycling Union entry list particularly unexpected.

The European Championships had been one of Pogačar's major targets for the final part of the season. He is the defending champion after winning the road race in France last year, while the 2026 edition takes place in Slovenia, giving him the chance to defend the title on home roads.

His name on the entry list therefore quickly raised the possibility of an earlier than expected return. UAE, however, has played down that prospect.

Speaking to Danish outlet Feltet, the team suggested the list may simply be outdated.

"This is most likely an old list," a team representative said. "Although he has started doing some light indoor training again, the plan is still for him not to race anymore this year."

It means that, despite his name appearing on the start list, the defending champion is set to watch from the sidelines as the European title is decided on home roads in Slovenia on October 4.