Tadej Pogačar declines Alberto Contador’s invitation to try to win all three grand tours in 2024. In fact, the former Spanish pro, speaking to GCN at the start of the 16th stage of the Giro d’Italia, had suggested to the leader of the Corsa Rosa that he should also try to win the Vuelta in case he was able to win the Giro-Tour double this season. However, the Slovenian of UAE Team Emirates, in an interview at the end of the 17th stage, dismissed this likelihood, saying that he has quite other ambitious plans in mind after the Tour de France.

“If he wins the Giro and the Tour de France, and I was in his shoes, then 100 percent I would try to win the Vuelta as well,” Contador had told GCN. “If in 2015, when I won the Giro, I had also won the Tour de France, then I would also go to the Vuelta. I didn’t manage to win the Tour and I didn’t go to the Vuelta, but Tadej has a great opportunity to make history, because [the hat trick of grand tours – ed.] is a very difficult thing to win. But he is young and maybe in three years come another very strong rider who can do it.”

The 41-year-old Spaniard’s idea is rooted in the fact that this year Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar’s great rival in the last two editions of the Tour, seems to be far from his best condition due to the fractures he suffered in the very bad crash at the Tour of the Basque Country, which are slowing down his preparation for the Grande Boucle in no small part, which is still uncertain. “Normally at the Tour de France Vingegaard would be the favorite because he won the last two editions, but we’ll see what happens,” Contador pointed out.

The 2007 and 2009 Tour winner then pointed out the big differences between his way of racing and that of the Slovenian who is dominating the Tour. “Tadej and I are very different riders. In my opinion I was much more like Jonas Vingegaard because he is more of a climber, like me. And I am more of a climber than Tadej. He has a great big engine and he has class, he can pass the high mountains without any problem but he is not a real true climber. We are different riders. But it’s like saying I could be with Eddy Merckx. Every moment in cycling is different and we cannot know that.”

Pogačar’s response came at the conclusion of stage 17 of the Pink Race. The Slovenian declined to even participate in the Vuelta in August, saying he has the World Championships in his sights, which will be held in Zurich in late September. “I think the Vuelta definitely not. I have other plans after the Tour,” the UAE phenom said, ”But let’s stay focused on the flat stage, because you never know with the peloton getting tired, accidents can happen, hopefully not. Let’s see day by day until Rome. The big goals of the season will then be the Tour and the World Championship, so let’s take it slow.”