Pogacar Weighs Vuelta Participation After Tour
Pogacar expresses uncertainty about Vuelta a España participation after Tour ends.
Key Points
- • Pogacar is unsure about competing in the Vuelta a España after the Tour de France.
- • He will decide after assessing his condition and desire to be away from home.
- • He remains the leader in the Tour de France, having secured the yellow jersey after the 8th stage.
- • The Vuelta is scheduled from August 23 to September 14, 2023, before the World Championships.
Tadej Pogacar, the reigning champion of the Tour de France, has expressed uncertainty about his participation in the upcoming Vuelta a España, which is set to run from August 23 to September 14, 2023. During a press conference on July 12, 2025, he stated, "On verra si j’ai envie de passer encore un mois loin de la maison," suggesting he will make a decision about the Vuelta only after the completion of the Tour de France. Pogacar's current focus remains on defending his Tour title, where he retains the yellow jersey following the 8th stage, which concluded on the same day.
During this 8th stage of the Tour, covering a distance of 171.4 kilometers from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval, Pogacar demonstrated consistent performance, clocking an overall time of 29 hours, 48 minutes, and 30 seconds, leading the general classification. After the stage, he remains ahead of competitors like Remco Evenepoel and Kévin Vauquelin.
The Vuelta holds significance for Pogacar who has only participated in it once before, back in 2019 when he finished third and secured three stage victories. However, the decision to compete this year hinges not only on his performance in the Tour but also on his desire to spend extended time away from home. This timing is crucial as the Vuelta would end just two weeks before the World Championships taking place in Rwanda, a key event in Pogacar's racing calendar.
As of now, Pogacar's immediate priority is to maintain his lead in the Tour de France, which could influence his training and recovery in the lead-up to the Vuelta, depending on how he feels post-Tour.
With the next Tour stage favoring sprinters, it's likely that Pogacar's position will remain unchanged until more challenging terrain arises, which may affect his preparations for any events following the Tour.