Tadej Pogačar will not return to competitive racing before the end of the 2026 season, despite appearing on a preliminary Slovenian entry list for the European Road Championships.
The reigning European champion was included on an initial longlist for the October 4 road race in Senčur, Slovenia. However, UAE Team Emirates-XRG has confirmed that the list is outdated and that Pogačar is not expected to participate.
“It’s probably an old list,” the team told Danish publication Feltet. “Although he is back doing light indoor training, there are no plans for him to ride any more races this year.”
Pogačar’s season ended prematurely after his crash during the Vuelta a España last month. The Slovenian suffered a fractured collarbone and a vertebral fracture and subsequently underwent treatment before beginning a cautious return to indoor cycling.
The 27-year-old had already been ruled out for the remainder of the season on September 5. His absence also means he will not defend his title at Il Lombardia, a race he had won five consecutive times.
Pogačar said following the initial announcement that his priority was to recover fully rather than rush his comeback.
He finishes an exceptional 2026 campaign with 16 victories, including major wins at Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour de France.
With Pogačar unavailable, Slovenia will rely heavily on Primož Roglič at the UCI Road World Championships. Roglič is also expected to play a leading role for Slovenia at the European Championships in October.
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