Five-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar has been forced to withdraw from the Vuelta a España after suffering a concussion and two fractures in a major crash during Saturday’s eighth stage.
The Slovenian rider was thrown over his handlebars after appearing to lose control when an object rolled onto the road. UAE Team Emirates confirmed that Pogačar sustained a displaced fracture to his left clavicle, a stable fracture to his C7 vertebra and several abrasions, in addition to the concussion.
Team medical director Adrian Rotunno said there were fortunately no other significant injuries or neurological complications. However, Pogačar will need surgery on his broken collarbone. The operation will be postponed until doctors are satisfied that it is safe to proceed following his concussion.
Pogačar crashed around 33 kilometers from the finish in Xeraco while holding a commanding overall lead. Although he initially attempted to continue, the pain in his shoulder eventually made it impossible. He got off his bike and walked toward an ambulance before race officials confirmed his abandonment.
The accident ended Pogačar’s hopes of completing one of cycling’s rarest achievements: winning all three Grand Tours. He had entered the Vuelta as the overwhelming favorite after winning the Tour de France for a third consecutive year and fifth time overall in July. He previously won the Giro d’Italia in 2024.
Pogačar had not competed in the Vuelta since making his Grand Tour debut there in 2019. A victory this year would have made him only the ninth male cyclist in history to win the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.
Television images showed cuts to Pogačar’s head, arm and shoulder after the crash. He appeared to move sharply to the right while trying to avoid something on the road, collided with other riders and was launched over his handlebars, landing heavily on his head and shoulder.
UAE Team Emirates sports manager Joxean Matxin Fernandez revealed that Pogačar required stitches around his eyebrow and other areas. He described the incident as an unfortunate part of cycling rather than something that could be blamed on anyone.
Fernandez said Pogačar initially wanted to carry on, but the severity of the shoulder pain convinced the team that continuing would not be possible. He added that Pogačar had been enjoying the race after seven days and expressed hope that the injuries would not prove too serious.
Pogačar had worn the race leader’s red jersey since winning the opening stage and entered Saturday’s stage with a 3-minute, 50-second advantage over Enric Mas. The eighth stage was largely flat, covering 171 kilometers from Puçol to Xeraco, and was expected to favor the sprinters.
Bryan Coquard of Cofidis won the stage ahead of Mads Pedersen and Jordi Meeus. Following Pogačar’s withdrawal, Mas inherited the overall lead, becoming the first Spanish rider to top the Vuelta since Jesús Herrada in 2018. Felix Gall moved into second, 1:11 behind, while Primož Roglič sits third.
Mas was visibly uncomfortable with taking the red jersey under such circumstances. During the podium ceremony, he chose to hold the jersey rather than wear it, and he continued without it during subsequent television interviews.
Mas said earning the lead because of another rider’s crash did not feel right and that his immediate thoughts were with Pogačar. He explained that he and his team had agreed he would not wear the jersey on Saturday, although he intended to wear it if he remained deserving of the position the following day.
Pogačar’s biggest rival, Jonas Vingegaard, is also absent from this year’s Vuelta after crashing during the Tour de France.
The crash marks the first time Pogačar has abandoned a Grand Tour. Saturday’s race was his 10th appearance in one of cycling’s three major stage races, and before this incident he had never finished outside the top three.
The 2026 Vuelta a España is scheduled to conclude in Granada on September 13.If you want, I can also make it shorter and more suitable for a sports-news website or Facebook post.
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