Tadej Pogačar’s large aim for 2026 is hardly a shock – it’s the Tour de France. The race squats over the remainder of skilled biking like an enormous toad, to ape the Spectator’s Tim Shipman’s description of former British prime minister Boris Johnson. It’s the one race that issues for a lot of followers, for sponsors, for outsiders, and so it’s comprehensible that the world champion’s focus is on a fifth yellow jersey. Few would guess in opposition to him equalling the file for many wins, after his dominant victories in 2024 and 2025.
The route for the 113th version of the Tour will likely be introduced on Thursday, and no matter is included within the 3,000km, no matter strikes to ‘Tadej-proof’ the course have been included, it’s nonetheless more likely to go well with the Slovenian. There are only a few race routes which have brought on the 27-year-old any trigger for concern within the final two seasons, and never simply on the Tour too, however in most different settings, as proved by his dominance in April, September and October this 12 months.
Information editor at Biking Weekly, Adam brings his weekly opinion on the goings on on the higher echelons of our sport. This piece is a part of The Leadout, a publication collection from Biking Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe right here. As ever, e-mail adam.becket@futurenet.com – do you have to want to add something, or recommend a subject.
Lengthy Alpine climbs at altitude have been considered a weak spot, as have been his staff – who may overlook his isolation by the hands of Visma-Lease a Bike in 2022 – however each of those seem to have been fastened. Due to this fact, how may a route be Tadej-proofed, anyway? Pogačar can climb, dash, punch, and time trial with the perfect, so wanting making each stage a flat dash, or a flat time trial, it feels as if Tour route supremo Theirry Gouvenou has few choices.
His rivals would possibly discover methods of beating him, one thing Jonas Vingegaard and Visma have expertise of, however Pogačar will nonetheless go into subsequent 12 months’s Tour because the favorite, barring incident or damage. As he does each race. Positive, Remco Evenepoel and his new Pink Bull staff would possibly provide you with a masterplan of toppling Tadej, however from this far out, the whole lot suggests a fifth Tour win.
If that each one sounds boring and predictable, then I’ve excellent news for you, whether or not you’re a fan or a Grand Tour contender. Tadej Pogačar might be not going to journey the Vuelta a España subsequent 12 months, and the Giro d’Italia appears unlikely too, though not inconceivable. Which means two entire Grand Excursions the place the races will likely be extra open and different riders can win; Jonas Vingegaard in all probability gained’t journey each both.
Focusing on a race the place Pogačar is absent will not be cowardice; no, within the age of Pog, it’s realism. Name me easy, however it could be intelligent to goal for the Grand Tour the place the perfect rider on the earth will not be current. Vingegaard may even make historical past by profitable the Giro and changing into the eighth man to win all three Grand Excursions, one thing not even Pogačar has achieved but.
The tier of rider beneath the UAE Workforce Emirates-XRG chief can also be bursting with expertise, and we must always stay up for the battle between Vingegaard, UAE’s João Almeida and Isaac del Toro, newly at Lidl-Trek Juan Ayuso, Evenepoel, Oscar Onley, even Tom Pidcock. A win on the Giro or the Vuelta could be transformational for many of those riders. In 20 years, few will look at the truth that they gained a Grand Tour the place Pogačar was absent; as a substitute, they’ll simply be on the roll of honour. Higher to be a winner in your individual proper than an everlasting second.
Profitable additionally breeds confidence, confidence that’s essential if somebody is definitely to topple Tadej; in case you are already specializing in subsequent 12 months’s Tour de France, pessimistic concerning the possibilities of profitable, then maybe your main aim ought to shift to Spain or Italy. The Tour stays the Tour, however probably the most open racing could be elsewhere.
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