Tadej Pogacar Eyes Two Titles as European Title is Race for Climbers: "I'll Probably Be There"

Tadej Pogačar won his own criterium in Slovenia on Saturday and also spoke about his autumn racing schedule. The Slovenian Tour winner had already announced that he would compete in the Canadian double and the Road World Championships in Rwanda, but it seems another major championship will be added. Pogačar is opening the door to participating in the European Road Championships in southern France.

Initially, Pogačar and UAE Emirates XRG planned to ride the Vuelta a España double after the Tour de France, but doubts emerged during the final week of the Tour. The WorldTeam has now announced that Juan Ayuso and João Almeida will share the leadership role in the Vuelta.

For Pogi, the double in Québec and Montréal awaits in September. "We know that Montréal suits me better, but that doesn’t mean I won’t also try to win in Québec. This year they’ve adjusted the course a bit; it's now easier, but the finish is more difficult, so we will try to win there as well," Pogačar said about those races. "It’s not just me—there are a few other riders who could win here, like Jhonathan Narvaez."

"The European Championships are for climbers, so I’ll probably be there."
In Canada, the Slovenian is finalizing preparations for the Road Worlds in Rwanda, where he aims to defend his world title. In early October, the European Road Championships will take place in Drôme and Ardèche, and Pogačar is interested. "According to our information, there will be a European Championships for climbers, so I’ll probably be there," he hinted, according to SportKlub.

"It’s comparable to one of the spring races Juan Ayuso won this year," Pogačar pointed out, referring to the Drôme Classic. "But the European Championships will probably mean I can’t participate in other Italian classics, except the Giro di Lombardia."