Pogacar’s absence creates an opportunity for lesser-known riders to stand out at the Vuelta.
Tadej Pogacar will not be competing in this year’s Vuelta a España. After his consecutive victories in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, his absence will provide a welcome break for his competitors. As the Vuelta begins in Lisbon on Saturday with an individual time trial, Pogacar will be focused on preparing for his next goal: the World Road Race Championships in Zurich.
With Tadej Pogacar absent, and neither Jonas Vingegaard, the Tour runner-up, nor Remco Evenepoel, the double gold medallist from the Paris Olympics, participating, the final Grand Tour of the season gives the rest of the peloton an opportunity to compete. Defending champion Sepp Kuss, who rides for Visma-Lease a Bike and recently won the Vuelta a Burgos, including its most challenging mountain stage, is considered the favourite. Like several other former Grand Tour winners this year, including Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic, Kuss is also returning from health issues after a bout of Covid-19 in June kept him out of the Tour de France.
Kuss mentioned that while his previous bouts with Covid had been relatively mild, this time was different. He experienced prolonged recovery, significant lung issues, and extreme fatigue that lasted weeks, making it hard to even contemplate starting the Tour.
In 2023, the laid-back climber from Durango, Colorado, unexpectedly found himself in contention for victory in the three-week Spanish race. However, he faced competition from his own teammates, co-leaders Vingegaard and Roglic, who were now with the Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team.
