Pogacar has been leaning on his team for clearance to race the Elite Men’s Road Race in Ljubljana on Sunday, October 4. Gianetti’s answer was final.

“His desire to be there is easy to understand, but it is too soon, health is the priority, so it will not happen,” Gianetti told Brujulabike.

The reigning European champion had appeared on a preliminary Slovenian entry list for the home championship, sending speculation through the sport that a comeback might be on the cards. UAE Team Emirates-XRG moved to shut that talk down as soon as it started.

“It’s probably an old list,” a team spokesperson told Cyclingnews. “Although he is back doing light indoor training, there are no plans for him to ride any more races this year.”

Read also: Luka Doncic is the Lakers now. But media day belonged to the man who left

Stage 8 crash that ended the Vuelta

Pogacar’s season came to an abrupt halt on stage 8 of the 2026 Vuelta a España on Saturday, August 29. The Slovenian lost control with 33 kilometres to go and hit the deck hard.

His medical report confirmed a concussion, a displaced fracture of the left collarbone, a stable C7 vertebral fracture and multiple abrasions. Surgery on the clavicle had to wait while concussion protocol was cleared. He had been leading the general classification at the time of the crash.

A week later, on September 5, Pogacar issued his own statement.

“Of course, this isn’t the way I wanted my season to finish. Right now, the most important thing is to recover properly and give my body the time it needs,” he said.

Read also: Djokovic accepts a Grand Slam council seat at 39, in a move that only fits an active player

Il Lombardia off the table too

The 2026 UEC Road European Championships run in Ljubljana and 11 municipalities across central Slovenia and the Gorenjska region from October 2 to 7. The Elite Men’s Road Race rolls out of Congress Square at 12:30pm local time on Sunday, October 4, and finishes in Šenčur. It is the first time Slovenia has staged the event.

Racing on home roads carried an obvious pull, and reports say Pogacar had resumed light road training only weeks after the crash. Gianetti’s decision closes that door and, according to Brujulabike’s account, also rules him out of Il Lombardia, the season’s final Monument, leaving La Vuelta as his last race of 2026.

The plan now is a return in 2027.

“I’ll focus on getting healthy, supporting the guys from home, and coming back next year ready for what’s ahead,” Pogacar said in his September 5 statement.

Read also: De la Fuente reveals ‘conflict’ fear behind Eric García decision

Read also: Thomas Tuchel reveals what Declan Rice did after pulling out of England squad