Tadej Pogacar, the world's best cyclist, announced his 2026 program in Benidorm, focusing on one-day monuments and the Tour de France as the only Grand Tour. He values a first Paris-Roubaix win more than a fifth Tour. His schedule aims to complete his palmares without obsessing over historical records.
At an event organized by UAE Team Emirates in Benidorm on December 13, 2025, Tadej Pogacar unveiled his roadmap for the 2026 season. At 27, the Slovenian cyclist and world champion emphasized his desire to prioritize monuments over accumulating more Grand Tour wins. "The first Paris-Roubaix is worth more than the fifth Tour de France," he stated, adding that "there's more difference between zero and one than between four and five".
His calendar starts on March 7 with Strade Bianche, followed by the first four monuments: Milan-San Remo on March 21, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix on April 12, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. In May and June, he will debut in the Tour de Romandie (April 28 to May 3, six stages) and Tour de Suisse (June 17 to 21, five stages), as preparation for the Tour de France in July, starting from Barcelona. In September, he will race the Worlds in Montreal, leaving open the possibility of the Vuelta a Espana.
Pogacar is not chasing the five Tours of legends like Eddy Merckx or Miguel Indurain, but winning what he lacks: San Remo and Roubaix. For the latter, he plans to gain two kilos and work on "durability," resisting fatigue on cobbles. He rejects a Giro-Tour-Vuelta triple for team equity: Joao Almeida will lead the Giro and Vuelta, while 22-year-old Isaac del Toro will support him in the Tour. "I shouldn't obsess over these things," he said, prioritizing opportunities for young talents.
The announcement reflects a more selective cycling approach, with about 60 competition days, aware of passing time. Team sources confirm his physiological capacity for big feats, but motivation guides his choices.
