Pogačar returns to the Spanish Vuelta in pursuit of a rare double and elusive treble

Pogačar returns to the Spanish Vuelta in pursuit of a rare double and elusive treble 1 of 2 | Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start and finish in Paris, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy) 2 of 2 | Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, races through the cobbled streets of Montmartre during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start and finish in Paris, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Etienne Garnier/Pool Photo via AP) 1 of 2 | Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start and finish in Paris, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy) 1 of 2 Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start and finish in Paris, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 2 | Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, races through the cobbled streets of Montmartre during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start and finish in Paris, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Etienne Garnier/Pool Photo via AP) 2 of 2 Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, races through the cobbled streets of Montmartre during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start and finish in Paris, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Etienne Garnier/Pool Photo via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Madrid (AP) — Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar is returning to the Spanish Vuelta after a seven-year absence to pursue a Grand Tours hat trick of titles.The Slovenian rider’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG team announced its lineup for the three-week race on Monday, confirming Pogačar will take part after claiming a record-equaling fifth Tour de France crown last month.“It was my first ever Grand Tour back in 2019 and an amazing experience,” Pogačar said. “Spain is a country I love to visit and race in and I think the time is right to go back.”Exclusive clubsPogačar joined Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain, and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders with five Tour de France titles to their names. Unlike male riders including Hinault, Anquetil, Merckx and Jonas Vingegaard, however, Pogacar has not won the Spanish Vuelta for a hat trick of Grand Tours wins.Pogačar, who won the Giro d’Italia in 2024 by a big margin, is also bidding to become just the fourth male rider to win the Vuelta and Tour de France in the same year after Anquetil, Hinault and Chris Froome. Spanish VueltaThe 81st Vuelta starts on Aug. 22 with an individual time trial in Monaco – where Pogačar lives – before making its way through France and Andorra to Spain. It concludes in Granada on Sept. 13 after nearly 3,300 kilometers of racing.The 27-year-old Pogačar won three stages when he finished third on his last and only appearance so far at the Vuelta.“Joining Pogačar are João Almeida, Jay Vine, Pavel Sivakov, Pablo Torres, Kevin Vermaerke, Domen Novak and Ivo Oliveira,” UAE Team Emirates-XRG said.___AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports