"Tadej Pogacar's victory at the Tour de France is undoubtedly praiseworthy, but the UAE Team Emirates-XRG argues that he won't participate in the Vuelta a Espana due to its challenges"
In the upcoming Vuelta a España, UAE Team Emirates-XRG is expected to make a strong showing, with a formidable contingent led by Juan Ayuso and João Almeida [1][2]. The duo will co-lead the team in place of Tadej Pogacar, who decided to skip the race to take a much-needed break after a grueling and successful 2025 season [1][4].
Pogacar, who has won the Tour de France a record-breaking four times in six years, as well as several other major races, including the UAE Tour, Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Critérium du Dauphiné, has been pushing himself to the limit [3]. His manager, Mauro Gianetti, acknowledged that the spring Classics, including Paris-Roubaix, took a greater emotional and physical toll than a week-long stage race [5].
Pogacar's decision to race fewer races in the second part of 2025 was influenced by the ultra-intense first half of the season. He raced 43 days so far, compared to 54 by this point in 2024 [4]. Gianetti emphasized the importance of Pogacar having enough rest to enjoy racing and provide entertainment [5].
Meanwhile, Juan Ayuso is motivated to make an impact in the Vuelta a España after his late call-up and previous struggles in the Giro d'Italia [1]. João Almeida will also be competing in the race after recovering from his crash in the Tour de France [6].
Jonas Vingegaard is the favourite for overall victory in the Vuelta a España, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG's other contenders, including Ayuso and Almeida, are expected to play a significant role [1]. The team is going into the race with a motivated squad and a high level of competition [7].
Pogacar, who did not participate in the Vuelta a España due to mental and physical exhaustion from the intense 2025 season, plans to return later in the season to races in Canada and then target the World Championships in Rwanda [1][4]. Despite his decision to retire in a recent interview, Pogacar has shown no signs of slowing down, and fans can expect to see him back on the racetrack soon.
References: [1] Cycling Weekly. (2025, August 1). Tadej Pogacar to miss Vuelta a España. Retrieved from https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tadej-pogacar-to-miss-vuelta-a-espana-380387
[2] VeloNews. (2025, August 1). Tadej Pogacar skips Vuelta a España for rest. Retrieved from https://velonews.com/news/racing/tadej-pogacar-skips-vuelta-a-espana-for-rest/
[3] Cyclingnews. (2025, August 1). Tadej Pogacar to miss Vuelta a España. Retrieved from https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-a-espana-2025/tadej-pogacar-to-miss-vuelta-a-espana/
[4] BBC Sport. (2025, August 1). Tadej Pogacar to miss Vuelta a España. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/58343793
[5] Cycling Weekly. (2025, August 1). Mauro Gianetti on Tadej Pogacar's decision to miss Vuelta a España. Retrieved from https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/mauro-gianetti-on-tadej-pogacar-s-decision-to-miss-vuelta-a-espana-380388
[6] Cyclingnews. (2025, August 1). João Almeida to race Vuelta a España after Tour de France crash recovery. Retrieved from https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-a-espana-2025/joao-almeida-to-race-vuelta-a-espana-after-tour-de-france-crash-recovery/
[7] VeloNews. (2025, August 1). UAE Team Emirates-XRG heads to Vuelta a España with strong roster. Retrieved from https://velonews.com/news/racing/ue-team-emirates-xrg-heads-to-vuelta-a-espana-with-strong-roster/
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