Tadej Pogačar has revealed that his crash at the Vuelta a España left him with three fractured vertebrae, admitting he feels fortunate to have survived the incident.
The five-time Tour de France champion disclosed the full extent of his injuries during an interview with *The Athletic*. Although he initially knew he had suffered a C7 fracture, a subsequent CT scan in Slovenia revealed additional fractures to his T1 and T2 vertebrae.
The 28-year-old said discovering the extent of the damage made him grateful that he had abandoned his original plans to compete at the European Championships.
Pogačar sustained multiple injuries in a crash during stage eight of the Vuelta, including a broken collarbone, cervical spine fractures and concussion.
Fortunately, the Slovenian has made considerable progress in his recovery and has returned to cycling following a carefully managed rehabilitation programme. He revealed that he no longer experiences discomfort and can perform almost all his normal activities, although he must still avoid crashes, heavy lifting and excessive strain on his left arm and neck.
However, his recovery has not been entirely straightforward. Pogačar admitted that the first two weeks after the accident were particularly difficult mentally, leaving him feeling depressed and withdrawn.
He explained that gradually returning to indoor training and attending daily physiotherapy sessions helped improve his physical and mental condition. Nevertheless, he described the rehabilitation process as a daily battle.
Meanwhile, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider has offered an insight into his potential racing programme for 2027.
Speaking during a virtual community ride on MyWhoosh over the weekend, Pogačar indicated that a return to the Classics is highly likely, alongside an appearance at the UAE Tour and another campaign at the Tour de France.
The Slovenian had previously outlined ambitions centred on the Tour de France, World Championships and Vuelta a España. However, his latest comments suggest that the Classics could also feature prominently in his schedule.
Although his final programme remains unconfirmed, Pogačar appears increasingly optimistic about returning to competitive racing after a serious injury that threatened to derail his season.
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