Tadej Pogacar shuts down early retirement rumours - ‘Never considered leaving at the end of 2028’
Updated 24/11/2025 at 20:39 GMT
Slovenian cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar has poured cold water over the idea that he is considering leaving the sport at the end of the LA 2028 Olympics. The 27-year-old is contracted with UAE Team Emirates-XRG until 2030 and said he would not have signed that deal if he had no intention of seeing it through. Watch and stream the cycling season live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Pogacar, Van der Poel, Pedersen - Best finishes from 2025
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) insists there is no truth to the rumours that he plans to retire from professional cycling after the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The Slovenian, who is widely considered the greatest men's rider of his generation and one of the best of all time, enjoyed a stellar 2025 that included a dominant fourth Tour de France triumph.
Late last year, Pogacar penned a new contract that would keep him in the UAE stable until 2030, and in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 27-year-old confirmed he plans to honour that commitment.
"I never considered leaving at the end of 2028," Pogacar said. "I signed my contract until 2030, and unless something crazy happens, I'll obviously respect that. Otherwise, I would never have signed until that date."
As well as another Tour victory, Pogacar also won three Monuments and a world title. He is the UAE figurehead and hinted he may even extend his deal with the team beyond 2030 should the desire still burn bright.
"My team is getting better every year, and I feel more and more like part of a family," he added. "I don't see myself anywhere else, and if I want to race beyond 2030, it's very likely it will still be with UAE.
"But that's a long way ahead. Right now I'm relaxed, I'm having fun, there are no problems."
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Highlights: Pogacar reigns supreme for fifth straight Il Lombardia victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
While Pogacar is considered by many as the greatest of all time, there are still two Monuments missing from his roll of honour - Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix.
That is something he hopes to put right in 2026.
"It's no secret I will seek to be in top condition in those two occasions," he continued. "They are two objectives of mine and of the team."
Another big talking point ahead of the 2026 season is whether or not anyone will be able to challenge Pogacar’s dominance.
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) is viewed as Pogacar’s biggest threat to Grand Tour success, but the great Dane was well beaten in the 2025 Tour de France when he was expected to pose a serious challenge.
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In the sport’s showpiece event, Vingegaard finished more than four minutes down in the general classification as Pogacar romped to victory.
Elsewhere, Remco Evenepoel is hoping to close the gap to Pogacar. The Belgian is the world’s best time trialist but has made no secret of his desire to add to his one Grand Tour win at the 2022 La Vuelta.
As for how he plans to do that, the Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe rider said: "Through specific, extremely high-intensity training.
"I've hardly been able to do this in recent years due to crashes, injuries, rehabilitation, and a lack of a solid foundation.
"After a quiet, uneventful winter, I want to focus on it. Then I could take two or three steps forward compared to last season."
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Watch and stream the 2026 cycling season live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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