Pogačar reveals plans: Roubaix and the Olympics in his sights

Tadej Pogačar isn't slowing down for a second. After tying the record of five overall victories at the Tour de France , the Slovenian phenomenon already has a clear idea of ​​what awaits him over the next two seasons. Two goals stand out above all others on his agenda: winning Paris-Roubaix and winning Olympic gold in the 2028 Los Angeles road race.

Speaking to RTV SLO’s Tour 202 podcast, immediately after hosting his charity Pogi Challenge in his native Komenda, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG champion took stock of a palmarès that is increasingly approaching absolute perfection, with very few pieces missing.

But first, there's an immediate and tantalizing commitment for fantasy cycling: on August 22nd, Pogačar will return to the Vuelta a España for the first time since 2019, with the stated goal of completing his Grand Tour collection. He already has five Tours and one Giro d'Italia under his belt: the Vuelta is the final step to climb, and fantasy cycling fans will do well to keep him at the top of their lists, given his hunger for victories.

After an already brilliant 2026 season with victories at Milan-San Remo, the Tour de Romandie, and the Tour de Suisse, the next two seasons could bring him the feat of winning all of cycling's Monuments and the most prestigious one-week stage races. He only needs one Monument, Paris-Roubaix, and one minor stage race, the Itzulia Basque Country, to complete both collections.

"I'd also like to win another world championship and a stage race," Pogačar said, "but the big goal remains Paris-Roubaix."

It's no secret that the Hell of the North has become a veritable obsession for the Slovenian champion. In his two appearances to date, he has always finished second, first behind Mathieu van der Poel in 2025 and then behind Wout van Aert this year, who was pipped in the velodrome sprint. For those who manage fantasy cycling teams, this is a clear sign: Pogačar has proven he can win Roubaix, and he won't stop trying despite the race's historically high risk of crashes.

His words also suggest that a return to the legendary Cipressa and Poggio climbs may not be on the cards in 2027, after finally winning the Classicissima di Primavera with a miraculous comeback over Tom Pidcock in a two-man sprint last March.

"I still haven't fully realized that I've won the Milan-San Remo. I'll probably only realize it next year, between January and February, when I'll no longer have to go training every two days on the Cipressa and Poggio climbs," he explained. "There are also lots of cars, motorcyclists, and cyclists on those roads. I prefer to train in France on the climbs."

Looking further ahead, Pogačar has also set his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games , where he will return to compete after winning bronze in Tokyo in 2021, when he finished behind Richard Carapaz and Wout van Aert.

The Los Angeles road race, scheduled for July 23, 2028, from the Venice Beach boardwalk to a summit finish at Griffith Observatory, will force the Tour de France calendar to be moved forward to avoid overlaps. Even so, the final stage of the Tour de France will be July 16, leaving just a week to fly to the United States and prepare: a significant unknown for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, which Pogačar hopes will be included.

"The Olympics are, of course, another race I'd like to win. They only come around once every four years, so I'd have to build my program to be at my peak then," Pogačar added. "At the same time, this race isn't exactly in my team's best interests. But these are my wishes, and I think the team will take them into account."

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