Tadej Pogacar, the reigning Tour de France champion, confirmed his participation in this year’s Vuelta a España, starting in Monaco on 22 August. The five-time Tour winner aims to replicate the feat of rival Jonas Vingegaard, who recently completed a Grand Tour treble by winning the Giro d’Italia.

Pogacar’s announcement was made by his UAE Emirates-XRG team. He expressed enthusiasm for returning to the Vuelta, stating, "I’m excited to say I’m going back to La Vuelta. It was my first-ever Grand Tour back in 2019 and an amazing experience. Spain is a country I love to visit and race in, and I think the time is right to go back."

He emphasized his motivation, saying, "The motivation is high to finish off the year in a good way, and the Vuelta will be a big target. The team is strong and we hope to do good things."

Pogacar debuted in the Grand Tours during the 2019 Vuelta, finishing third overall to winner and compatriot Primoz Roglic, winning three stages and the best young rider classification.

The 2023 Vuelta features:

• Eight mountain stages
• Over 40km of individual time trials

The race kicks off with a time trial in Monaco, progressing to Andorra, and along the Mediterranean coast, with key stages in Cordoba, Malaga, and Seville, culminating in Granada on 13 September.

Despite initial post-Tour fatigue, Pogacar hinted at his participation during the Tour de France. He remarked, "If the Prince says that, then the chance is high," referring to Prince Albert of Monaco’s expectations.

While burnout discussions circulate in the peloton, with Vingegaard expected to take the rest of the year off due to injury, Pogacar's schedule remains packed, including the UCI World Road Race Championships in Montreal on 27 September, shortly after the Vuelta concludes.