Tadej Pogačar has taken another encouraging step in his recovery by getting back on his bike outdoors, exactly 28 days after suffering collarbone and neck fractures in a serious crash at the Vuelta a España.
The Slovenian shared photos from his first outdoor ride on Instagram, describing the moment as his “first day back” and noting that it was also his “last day with rainbow.” His reign as world road race champion will officially end on Sunday when the new champion is crowned in Montreal.
Pogačar was joined by his partner Urška Žigart, Eddie Dunbar and Gladys Verhulst-Wild. All four riders have been recovering from injuries and used the occasion to compare their surgical scars. Žigart, who recently suffered another jaw fracture, even jokingly rated the scars, with one of her teammates receiving the highest score.
The return to outdoor cycling represents another positive development for Pogačar, who had already posted an update showing him training indoors earlier in his rehabilitation.
His season ended abruptly on stage eight of the Vuelta after a crash that left him with a fractured collarbone, a stable neck fracture and concussion. The injuries also ruled him out of his attempts to defend the world title, European Championship crown and Il Lombardia victory.
Pogačar had been targeting a third consecutive world road race title, following his victories in Zurich in 2024 and Kigali in 2025. A third straight rainbow jersey would have matched the achievement of Peter Sagan, who won the men’s world road race title three times consecutively during the 2010s.
There had been speculation that Pogačar could make an early comeback at the European Championships in Ljubljana, particularly after his name appeared on the entry list. However, UAE Team Emirates-XRG subsequently confirmed that he would not return to competition this season, with his rehabilitation taking priority.
The 2026 World Championships will therefore take place without the defending champion. Primož Roglič is leading Slovenia in Montreal, while Remco Evenepoel is among the leading contenders for the rainbow jersey.
Pogačar is expected to return to racing in 2027, with objectives including the Vuelta a España, Paris-Roubaix and the Los Angeles Olympic Games. His long-term future with UAE Team Emirates-XRG is also secure after recently extending his contract through 2032.
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