Reigning world champion and race leader Tadej Pogacar has been forced to abandon the Vuelta a Espana after sustaining a broken left clavicle and multiple other injuries in a crash during Saturday’s eighth stage. The incident not only ends his pursuit of a historic clean sweep of Grand Tour victories but also marks the first time the 27-year-old has withdrawn from a Grand Tour.
The crash occurred with approximately 33km remaining of the stage. According to BBC Sport, Pogacar, riding within the peloton, swerved to his right, colliding with another rider before being hit from behind by several others. He was immediately taken to hospital, where a comprehensive assessment revealed the extent of his injuries.
Pogacar’s injuries and delayed surgery
The UAE Team Emirates rider’s injuries include a broken left clavicle (collarbone), a concussion, a “stable” fracture in his neck, and multiple abrasions. Surgery for the broken collarbone will be necessary, but medical staff are delaying the procedure due to concussion precautions.
UAE Team Emirates’ medical director, Dr Adrian Rotunno, confirmed the situation. “He will require clavicle surgery which will be delayed due to concussion precautions,” Dr Rotunno stated, adding that “fortunately, no other major injuries and no neurological fallout.” He also noted that Pogacar “remains under the care of our medical team and we’ll provide further updates following the surgery.”
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Vuelta general classification reshaped
Pogacar’s dramatic exit has completely reshaped the general classification of the Vuelta a Espana. At the time of his crash, he held a significant lead of three minutes and 50 seconds over Spain’s Enric Mas in second place.
Following the stage, Bryan Coquard of Cofidis claimed his first-ever Grand Tour stage win. Meanwhile, Enric Mas (Movistar) now leads the general classification by one minute and 11 seconds from Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM). Mas is the first Spaniard to wear the red jersey in the Vuelta since Jesus Herrada in 2018.
Speaking on Pogacar’s misfortune, Mas commented, “It’s a real shame. I hope he gets better quickly. We’ve still got a few races left and I hope he’ll be in good shape for them.”
The setback is particularly poignant for Pogacar, a six-time Grand Tour winner who last month became the joint most successful Tour de France champion of all time with five victories. He also boasts a Giro d’Italia title and 13 one-day monument race wins, including three Tours of Flanders, five Il Lombardia, four Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and one Milan-San Remo. He also secured a second-place finish in Paris-Roubaix in 2025.
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His ambition to become only the ninth rider in history to win all three Grand Tours will now have to wait. The injury also casts a shadow over his potential participation in the Road World Championships scheduled for next month in Canada.
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