Tadej Pogachar's Giro d'Italia debut will have to wait at least another year. Race director Mauro Veni already acknowledged that when he announced the 2023 route in Milan last month, and now Pogachar has confirmed that his Grand Tour focus will be on next year's Tour de France.

"I still don't know when I will get Maglia Rosa," Pogachar told La Gazzetta dello Sport (open in new tab). "I really like the Tour de France and I'm interested in it, but circumstances have forced me to prioritize the Tour de France. After finishing second this year, my goal is to get back to the Tour."

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Pogachar, who won his Tour debut in 2020 and repeated the feat the following summer, should have completed his hat trick last July, but was outpaced by Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo Visma on the Granon Pass.

Despite the setback in the Tour, Pogachar was consistent throughout the season, including victories at Strade Bianche and Tirreno Adriatico in March and two consecutive wins at Il Lombardia in October.

"I would be happy to have the same kind of performance as last season, when I was able to win important races," Pogachar said. Of course, my goal is to compete in the Tour again, but it won't be easy."

Pogachar has not yet finalized his race program for next season, but after winning Slovenia's Cyclist of the Year last week, he indicated that it would be similar to his 2022 schedule.

"Italy will not be off the calendar," Pogachar said, citing Milan-San Remo as the race he would like to conquer before ending his career, along with the Tour of Flanders and the World Championships in Glasgow in 2023, which will be held in August.

"In my heart, I want to make up for my fourth place in the Tour of Flanders this year. San Remo is another goal because I haven't won it yet, and finally the World Championships, which will be a nice challenge in 2023, with the novelty of getting the rainbow jersey in the summer."