Tadej Pogacar Sets 2027 Ambitions After Injury-Derailed Season

Tadej Pogacar is already plotting his 2027 campaign, revealing his ambitions just weeks after a season-ending crash in the Vuelta a España. The Slovenian superstar from UAE Team Emirates-XRG dominated the early part of 2026 but saw his bid for a historic Giro-Tour-Vuelta treble end with a broken vertebra and collarbone.

Speaking at a charity press conference on the final race day of 2026, Pogacar confirmed his plans for next year will closely mirror his 2026 schedule. He has started his winter training a month earlier than usual, motivated by the time lost to injury. "The injury was pretty serious," Pogacar said, detailing a broken collarbone, fractured vertebrae, and a concussion that kept him off the bike for about five weeks. He only returned to training a little over a week ago, calling it a fresh start. His 2026 victories included Milan-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Tour de France, a haul he will aim to match or surpass.

Pogacar's crash in August had immediate consequences for the cycling calendar. His confirmed absence from the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal in late September created a power vacuum. Riders and teams acknowledged it was a rare opportunity to compete for the rainbow jersey without the sport's strongest rider in the field. Great Britain's team felt their chances were significantly improved, while Ireland's Ben Healy, who finished third behind Pogacar in 2025, called it an "open race." Healy told reporters that with Pogacar present on a suitable course, victory was almost inevitable for the Slovenian. The open field ultimately allowed American Brandon McNulty to make history.

On September 27, 2026, Brandon McNulty of the United States won the men's road race in Montreal. He became the first American man to claim the elite world title since Lance Armstrong in 1993, ending a 33-year wait. The race unfolded over nearly 170 miles of aggressive racing, with the peloton fully aware that Pogacar was not there to control the finale. McNulty's victory was a direct result of the reshaped competitive landscape.

The crash that altered the season occurred on stage 8 of the Vuelta a España in August. Pogacar sustained fractures to his neck (a vertebra) and collarbone, along with a concussion. He described a rigorous recovery process, spending two weeks at home before starting on a stationary bike and attending daily gym and physiotherapy sessions. He admitted he pushed hard in a failed attempt to be ready for the World Championships, a goal he "really wanted" to achieve.

• KEY TAKEAWAYS: Pogacar's 2027 goals are set after a 2026 season featuring Monument and Tour de France wins. A crash in August fractured his vertebra and collarbone, forcing him out of the Vuelta and World Championships. His absence allowed Brandon McNulty to win the 2026 World Championship for the USA. Pogacar is back training a month early, aiming to return to his previous dominance.

The final Monument of the year, Il Lombardia, proceeded without him on October 10. All eyes are now on his winter preparation and whether he can return to the unprecedented heights he reached before that crash in Spain.