Is Pogacar returning for the European Championship at home?

It seemed like the season was officially over, but instead Tadej Pogacar could surprise once again in his career.

After his crash at the Vuelta, which resulted in his retirement, both the Slovenian and UAE Team Emirates had taken his return for 2027 as a given.

The reigning champion will certainly not participate in next Sunday's World Championship in Montreal, but he was surprisingly included today in a preliminary list for the European Championships the following week.

This detail has rekindled the hopes of fans and enthusiasts, even though neither Pogacar nor the Slovenian coach have released official statements on the matter.

Without a doubt, the European Championship in Ljubljana would be an important goal for Pogacar, who had also helped design the route on his home roads.

The chances of that currently remain slim, with the UAE rider expected to return to racing (in a very tough race) just 36 days after his terrible accident in Spain, but as of today, a very small glimmer of hope has opened up that the world champion could be back in action as early as 2026.