Broken gearing and logs on the route leave Pogačar waiting for his double

The Tour de France-Vuelta a España double is so rare that only three riders have achieved it in cycling history. That exclusive list will remain unchanged for at least another year.

Tadej Pogačar will not complete the feat on his first attempt, despite the scenario seeming almost impossible only a few days earlier. Mechanical trouble and logs on the route contributed to the setback described in the headline.

The contrast with the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double is striking. Eight riders have won those two races in the same season, and some have done so more than once. The successful Tour-Vuelta combination remains an exceptional achievement, and Pogačar will have to wait for another chance.