The news of Pogacar’s withdrawal will make Jonas Vingegaard the overwhelming favourite for this year’s Vuelta. The Dane has never won a Grand Tour outside the Tour de France, having finished second to teammate Sepp Kuss in 2023, and showed in the final week of the Tour that he is back climbing at his best level.

Tadej Pogacar claimed his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday, cementing his status as the most dominant rider of his generation and moving alongside Britain's Chris Froome on the all-time winners' list.

A thrilling final stage in Paris brought an end to a Tour de France competed at breakneck speed for all three weeks