Tadej Pogačar has put an end to speculation about his future, saying he never considered retiring early or cutting his contract short. Speaking to Italian journalist Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport, he said the idea he might leave the sport in 2028 “never existed.”
He made it clear he intends to stay with UAE Team Emirates–XRG until his current deal expires in 2030. The team, he added, keeps improving and “feels like a family.”
The four-time Tour de France winner admitted he was mentally worn out after a long, but, very, very, impressive season. But after a stretch of R&R in Mallorca, he said his motivation has reset.
Pogi is now preparing for a 2026 campaign that may begin later than usual. It sounds like Strade Bianche in March emerging as the likely season opener. Despite rumours, an appearance at the Tour Down Under seems unlikely.
His spring ambitions are centred on the two Monuments he hasn’t won: Milano–Sanremo and Paris–Roubaix. He said winning one of those classics carries far more weight than simply showing up expecting a result.
Asked about Remco Evenepoel’s move to Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe, Pogačar didn’t hide his unease. The transfer, he said, “could be good for Remco,” and the possibility the Belgian superstar improves further “scares me, because he’s already so strong.” Still, he expects Evenepoel to thrive in his new environment.
Despite the pressure, Pogačar said balance remains his priority: “Maybe I can’t do better on the bike, but in daily life I can. The meaning of life is to be happy and to do good for others.”
Meanwhile, Evenepoel is gearing up for a year where he hopes to dethrone the seemingly unbeatable Pogi. The double Olympic champion said, “It’s up to my new coach to find a solution.”
The trick, it seems, is matching his initial incredible burst.
“Pogačar can sustain an acceleration longer than anyone else. For several minutes, he can push twenty, thirty, even forty watts above the rest, then it settles back to a more ‘normal’ level,” Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe’s Sven Vanthourenhout, said.