Tadej Pogacar Faces Surgery After Grueling Crash in Spanish Vuelta

POLICY WIRE — Xeraco, Spain — Tadej Pogacar, the five-time Tour de France champion, was thrown off his bike in a terrifying accident during the Spanish Vuelta on Saturday, leading to his withdrawal from the race.

The Slovenian cyclist sustained a concussion and fractured two bones, one of which necessitates surgery, after losing control when a stone rolled across the road.

Adrian Rotunno, the medical director of UAE Team Emirates, stated that Pogacar has been diagnosed with a concussion, a displaced left clavicle fracture, a stable C7 cervical fracture, and multiple abrasions. Fortunately, there are no other major injuries and no neurological fallout. He will need clavicle surgery, which will be postponed due to concussion precautions, Rotunno explained.

Pogacar, who held a significant lead in the Vuelta, was the favorite to win the title and complete a hat trick of cycling’s three Grand Tours. However, he was involved in a crash approximately 33 kilometers from the finish of the eighth stage. Despite attempting to continue, he was unable to and walked to an ambulance. Race officials confirmed his withdrawal.

TV footage revealed Pogacar with cuts on his head, left arm, and shoulder. He swerved into other cyclists while trying to avoid an obstacle on the road, lost control, and fell over his handlebars, striking his head and shoulder.

Matxin Joxean Fernandez, the sports manager of UAE Team Emirates, mentioned that Pogacar required stitches in his eyebrow and other areas. It’s no one’s fault… It’s just one of those unfortunate incidents that occur in cycling, Fernandez remarked. He initially wanted to continue, but we noticed he was in considerable pain in his shoulder and decided he couldn’t go on.

Pogacar, who had been leading since winning the opening stage, had a 3-minute, 50-second advantage over Enric Mas of Movistar before the stage. Bryan Coquard of the Cofidis team won the stage, followed by Mads Pedersen and Jordi Meeus.

Mas assumed the race leader’s jersey from Pogacar, becoming the first Spanish rider to lead the race since Jesus Herrada in 2018. Felix Gall is second , 1:11 behind, with Primoz Roglic in third place.

The 31-year-old Mas chose not to wear the leader’s red jersey during the post-race ceremony or in television interviews after the stage. Receiving the red jersey due to a crash doesn’t feel right, he told Eurosport. We’ll try to defend it tomorrow, but tonight we need to process what happened and offer all our support to Tadej, hoping he recovers soon. We decided with the team that I wouldn’t wear the red jersey today, and if I deserve it tomorrow, I will.

Pogacar’s main rival, Jonas Vingegaard, is not participating in the Vuelta after a crash during this year’s Tour de France.

This marks Pogacar’s 10th Grand Tour and the first he has ever abandoned. He had never finished lower than third place.

The three-week race will conclude in Granada on September 13.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)