![\"Tadej](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2287793942-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRumors that Poga\u010dar will double the Tour de France with the 2026 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a reach a frenzy as skeleton start list takes shape.<\/p>\n
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(Photo: Jean Catuffe\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Updated July 30, 2026 05:10AM<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no better way to brush off the hangover of the Tour de France<\/a> than to start mulling who\u2019s racing the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/a>.<\/p>\n And now\u2019s a good time to do it.<\/p>\n The evidence pointing toward Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> returning to the Spanish tour is mounting by the day.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Wout van Aert is blasting stage wins at the Tour of Denmark<\/a> ahead of a near-guaranteed Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a participation.<\/p>\n Tour de France stars Mads Pedersen and Mattias Skjelmose just confirmed<\/a> they\u2019re doubling their grand tour summer with three weeks in Spain.<\/p>\n Sepp Kuss, Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d, and Jo\u00e3o Almeida are other headliners in a crop of toppers expected to be at the start of the Spanish tour on August 22.<\/p>\n Reigning maillot rojo Jonas Vingegaard has not outlined his plans for the summer after he crashed out of the Tour de France.<\/p>\n However at this point, a Vuelta title defense seems unlikely<\/a> for the Danish star.<\/p>\n Tadej Poga\u010dar to the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a \u2013 the rumor that just keeps giving If the question over whether Poga\u010dar will race the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a feels familiar, that\u2019s because it is.<\/p>\n The Slovenian\u2019s return to the race where it all started with his sensational grand tour debut in 2019 has been a discussion ever since he won the Giro d\u2019Italia in 2024.<\/p>\n For Poga\u010dar, victory at the Vuelta would complete the grand tour grand slam, and is a key part of his quest to complete the cycling calendar.<\/p>\n And it seemed highly likely through the start of last year \u2013 until a knee injury and deep fatigue<\/a> from the Tour de France thwarted the plan.<\/p>\n The rumor mill began spinning again just months later.<\/p>\n Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a organizers reignited the debate last autumn when they confirmed further details of the race\u2019s 2026 Gran Salida from Monaco \u2013 Pogi\u2019s adopted home.<\/p>\n The rumor mill got a fresh acceleration during the recent Tour de France. Both Prince Albert of Monaco and King Poga\u010dar of the peloton dropped mischievous hints it would happen.<\/a><\/p>\n Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a posts social media teaser<\/p>\n Any attempts by Poga\u010dar to backtrack and slow the speculation didn\u2019t last long.<\/p>\n Speaking after his spectacular two-up attack with Mathieu van der Poel in Paris on stage 21 of the Tour, Poga\u010dar said he was too cooked to think too far forward.<\/p>\n The Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a is not yet a done deal.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the moment, I don\u2019t feel fresh enough to ride the Vuelta if it were to start tomorrow. I can still decide in two weeks,\u201d Poga\u010dar said last weekend.<\/p>\n Two days later, a hint-bomb landed into social media.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Poga\u010dar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-1174652991.jpg\"\/)
Poga\u010dar won three stages and finished third when he debuted at the Vuelta as a 20-year-old. (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2287518800.jpg\"\/)
Wout van Aert is already winning bike races after his elblow injury. He\u2019s all but confirmed he will be racing the Vuelta. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n