Tadej Pogačar Commits to Total Dominance with 2028 Roadmap – Team Preference or Not

Tadej Pogačar has won five Tours de France, two road world titles, and four of the five monuments.

He’s poised to obliterate the Vuelta a España and hit a rainbow jersey three-peat.

But that’s not enough for a Mercxkian GOAT with a monster VO2 Max.

Speaking this week to Slovenian podcast Tour 202, Pogačar outlined his two-year vision for total domination.

It’s a warplan with three key calling points – the 2026 Vuelta a España and road worlds, Paris-Roubaix, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Itzulia Basque Country – the one WorldTour stage race he’s not yet gobbled into his palmarès – can slot in where necessary.

It’s a blueprint that would see Pogačar “complete” cycling after he finally unlocked the riddle of Milan-San Remo this spring.

“I still haven’t quite grasped that I really managed to win Milan-San Remo. I’ll probably only realize that next year when I don’t have to go there every other day to train over the Cipressa and Poggio,” Pogačar told Tour 202.

“I also want to win another world championship and a multi-day race,” he added. “But the big goal remains Paris-Roubaix.”

Pogačar has been on a mission to check off every race worth knowing about since he won the 2024 Giro d’Italia.

He would cement himself into the athletic Hall of Fame if he pulls off this audacious assault on the pro cycling calendar.

Pogi’s biggest problem?

The Olympic Games road race.

Now aged 27, Pogačar has got to get it done in L.A. in 2028.

He’s not got the patience to be waiting another Olympiad for Brisbane 2032.

Olympic vision vs. Tour de France priorities

Pogačar, who’s signed with UAE Emirates-XRG through 2030, hinted to the Tour 202 podcast that his gold medal quest comes before everything – team preference or not.

“The other races [I want to win] are of course the Olympic Games, which are held every four years,” he said. “I have to get the correct race program over the year to be in good shape for it.

“The race isn’t exactly in the interests of my team. But these are my wishes, and I think the team will take them into account,” he said.

That’s a subtle flex from Pogačar.

The 27-year-old is the utter pinnacle of a superteam loaded with riches – including Tour de France podium finisher Isaac Del Toro, who just signed on through 2031.

The world’s No.1 team has bowed to its leader’s will many times before. King Pog risked his Tour de France the last two years by bashing over the grim cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, for example.

But it’s not all take.

Pogačar has also had to work for his super-sized contract.

He’s hinted many times over that he sometimes reluctantly shows up to demolish the Tour de France.

He suppresses his hunger for fresh morsels to pick at and keeps the sponsors happy at the race that really matters.

It seems there will be no compromise on the L.A. Games – and all that comes before them.