{
  "id": 2335514,
  "title": "Tadej Pogacar eyes Vuelta a Espana crown and Grand Tour clean sweep",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/tadej-pogacar-eyes-vuelta-a-espana-crown-and-grand-tour-clean-sweep",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-21T08:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/cycling/2026/08/21/tadej-pogacar-eyes-vuelta-a-espana-crown-and-grand-tour-clean-sweep/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Just 27 days after clinching a record-breaking fifth Tour de France title, Tadej Pogacar will return to the sport this weekend, aiming to etch his name in yet another chapter of history at the Vuelta a Espana. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG cyclist showcased his exceptional form throughout the 2024 Tour, clinching five stage victories and ultimately claiming the championship in Paris. Now, Pogacar's attention turns to one of the few titles still eluding the Slovenian sensation: La Vuelta. The race commences in his adopted city of Monaco with a 9km-long individual team-trial around the principality on Saturday. A podium finish in Granada on September 13, where Pogacar finished third in his previous attempt seven years ago, would make him only the ninth rider to win all three Grand Tours. With a week less recovery time than he enjoyed between the Giro d Italia and the Tour de France last year, Pogacar faces a 3,275km route featuring over 58,000m of climbing across 21 stages. His performance calendar has been nothing short of extraordinary, with six wins out of the seven World Tour races lined up, including the Milano-Sanremo, Tour de Romandie, Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and the Tour de France itself. Despite the demanding schedule, Pogacar's team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, is confident in his ability to handle the mental and physical challenges ahead. Head of performance Jeroen Swart emphasized the importance of providing Pogacar with the mental freshness required to tackle the Vuelta, emphasizing that the team's calendar was meticulously designed to allow for this transition.",
  "summary": "Just 27 days after securing a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title, Tadej Pogacar will be back in the saddle this weekend, looking to create yet more history, this time at the Vuelta a Espana. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider was dominant throughout this year's Tour, winning five stages on the way to victory in Paris , maintaining the sparkling form he has shown all year. Now Pogacar's…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Tadej Pogacar eyes Vuelta a Espana crown and Grand Tour clean sweep",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/tadej-pogacar-eyes-vuelta-a-espana-crown-and-grand-tour-clean-sweep-2336225",
        "published": "2026-08-21T08:00:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}