After the organizers of the Giro d’Italia confirmed Pogacar’s presence in the Giro on Sunday afternoon, the Slovenian and his team announced the rest of his schedule for 2024, which includes the Giro-Tour double and a busy summer of racing.
Tour de France one month after the Giro d’Italia
The 25-year-old will make his debut at the Giro d’Italia in May, where he is expected to pursue General Classification ambitions and then start the Tour de France, which begins just over a month after the last day of the Giro.
“I am no longer so young, and I think I can do two Grand Tours,” Pogacar revealed during a UAE Team Emirates press conference at the team’s Training Camp in Spain on Monday. “I probably could have done this before, but now is a good time to take on a new challenge in my career.”
Strong support team during the Tour de France
Since winning two consecutive Tours in 2020 and 2021, Pogacar has been thwarted by Jonas Vingegaard. Despite also leading the team in the Giro, Pogacar is expected to lead the Tour team with the support of names like Juan Ayuso, João Almeida, or the third-place finisher in 2023, Adam Yates.
Doing both races, Pogacar opens the possibility of achieving the Giro-Tour double, a feat not accomplished in men’s cycling since Marco Pantani did it in 1998.
“I think everyone wants to do Giro and Tour, and it’s one of the hardest things to achieve,” he said.
“I think the main goal for all the GC riders who have already won a few Grand Tours is to have all three. That’s something to have on the palmares, so let’s see how the Giro goes and how the Tour goes. Let’s not think about the double, let’s just enjoy the races.”
Pogačar will compete in the road events at the Paris Olympics, if selected. The Time Trial will take place just six days after the last day of the Tour, while the road race happens another week later on August 3.
Although his spot in the road race is more or less certain, Slovenia has qualified only one rider for the men’s Time Trial, so both Pogacar and Primoz Roglic are likely to want to race.
“The Olympics are not one of the main objectives, but of course, the World Championship is one of the main goals for next year,” he said about his goals for August and September.
Presenting a hilly course, the road race in Zurich is suitable for a classic-style cyclist like Pogacar, who has already proven himself with victories in Flanders, Liège, and Lombardia.
No Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, and Flèche Wallonne for 2024
Thus, Pogacar will have a simplified Spring Classics schedule, currently with only Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo in his plans. He will skip the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, and Flèche Wallonne, three races he won in 2023.