Tadej Pogačar is ready to rewrite the cycling history books once again. Starting from Monaco, the Slovenian powerhouse is setting his sights on the Vuelta a España, aiming to complete one of the most grueling achievements in professional sports: the Tour de France and Vuelta double in the same season.
Winning two Grand Tours in a single year is a monumental task, but pulling off this specific back-to-back combination has proven almost impossible in the modern era.
The Modern Cycling Miracle
Since the Vuelta moved to its late-summer slot in 1995, the Tour-Vuelta double has become cycling's ultimate white whale. Only one rider has managed to win both in the same calendar year: Christopher Froome in 2017.
While legendary champions Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1978) also accomplished the feat, they did so when the Spanish race was held in the spring. This allowed for a much longer recovery period before the Tour de France.
Even modern legends have struggled to replicate Froome's success:
- Jonas Vingegaard (2023) and Carlos Sastre (2008) are the only other Tour winners in this century to even reach the Vuelta podium in the same season.
- Over a twenty-year stretch, top contenders repeatedly saw their double-ambitions fall apart due to sheer exhaustion or mid-race crashes.
Why the Double is So Brutal
"It’s not easy to finish the Tour and immediately turn your attention to another three-week race," Froome previously noted, reflecting on his own grueling attempts.
The Vuelta is famously unforgiving. It features steeper, more explosive mountain stages than the Tour, and competitors must battle intense late-summer heat across Spain. For most riders, the physical and mental toll of fighting for the yellow jersey in July leaves them entirely depleted by late August.
Eyes on a Bigger Prize
This year's Vuelta poses an extra tactical challenge. Its placement on the calendar conflicts heavily with preparation for the Road World Championships in late September.
Because of this, many of the Tour's top contenders—such as Remco Evenepoel—are skipping Spain to focus entirely on the rainbow jersey. Pogačar, however, is aiming for both.
The Slovenian's strategy hinges on establishing a dominant lead early in Spain, allowing him to conserve energy during the brutal third week of the Vuelta. If successful, he will keep his dreams alive for an unprecedented World Championship bid shortly after. It is a massive sports gamble, but for Pogačar, ordinary achievements are no longer enough.
