Tadej Pogačar opts out of Vuelta a España 2021 as he focuses on one-day races

Tadej Pogačar has announced that he will not be riding his second Grand Tour of the season at the Vuelta a España 2021.

The back-to-back Tour de France winner said in a video that he will instead be focusing on the Bretagne race GP Plouay before the European and World Championships, and the Italian Classics to close out the season.

UAE Team Emirates decided that it was best for recovery that Pogačar should skip this year's Vuelta and focus on one-day events instead.

>>> Primož Roglič will attempt to defend his Vuelta a España title as team is confirmed

In the video, he said: "Hello, I'm back on the bike after a few amazing weeks. I had a little rest after Tokyo [2020 Olympic Games].

"With the team, we decided not to ride the Vuelta unfortunately. But I will be back in Spain at the Vuelta soon. 

"My next goal is [GP] Plouay, European Championships, World Championships and then the Italian Classics so, it's going to still be a pretty interesting season. See you soon."

This season has been a dominant one for Pogačar, taking 12 wins in all, including stage wins and overall titles over 12 races. Along with that, he's got a podium in almost all other races he's ridden including bronze at the Olympics and third overall in the Tour of the Basque Country behind the Jumbo-Visma duo Primož Rolgič and Jonas Vingegaard.

His lowest overall placing came at Strade Bianche where he finished in seventh place, showing how strong and consistent he has been so far in 2021.

The GP Plouay takes place in Brittany, France on August 29 with the European Championships in Italy happening on September 12, and the Worlds on September 26. After that, it's the Italian Classics with the final Monument of the year Il Lombardia on October 9. Pogačar is also holding an event the day before the Vuelta in Slovenia.

Meanwhile, the Vuelta a España begins on August 14 in Burgos and ends three weeks later after 21 stages in Santiago de Compostela on September 5.