Pogačar Abandons Vuelta After Horror Crash — Broke His Collarbone

Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar has abandoned the 2026 Vuelta a España after a heavy crash on stage 8, just 32 kilometres from the finish in Jerez. According to early reports, the race leader hit a rock at the edge of the road, lost control and flew over his handlebars.

The incident happened shortly after the peloton caught breakaway rider Sinuë Fernández and passed through an intermediate sprint. Helicopter cameras missed the exact moment of the fall, but footage from the roadside suggests the Slovenian's wheel struck a rock lying at the edge of the tarmac.

Blood and injuries after the crash

Teammates rushed to the fallen leader first, followed by medical staff. Pogačar got back on his feet and initially looked merely shaken, but when he turned his left side to the camera, it became clear the injury was serious. His collarbone was bleeding, and his body was covered in scrapes. Minutes later he got into the medical car — confirming his withdrawal from the race.

The Vuelta's official account reacted with the words: "This hurts. This is not the ending anyone wanted. Tadej, we wish you a speedy recovery."

According to the Spanish outlet Marca, initial examinations point to a broken collarbone, with surgery not ruled out. Dr. Álvaro Ortiz, who treated the rider, told Spanish broadcaster RTVE: "He suffered a fairly hard fall that caused him a lot of pain. He tried to get back on the bike, but he couldn't put enough pressure through his left arm."

UAE team sports director Joxean Fernández struck a slightly more optimistic tone, although just minutes after the crash he too lacked precise details: "This kind of thing happens in cycling. Tadej reached down for a bottle, but I don't know whether he actually hit something."

World Championship in doubt

Pogačar had never before abandoned a stage race — the last time he failed to finish was at the one-day classic Liège–Bastogne–Liège back in 2023. The injury now casts serious doubt over his participation in the World Championships in Montreal this September, where the Slovenian was due to defend his title for the third year running.

Pogačar was not the only rider to suffer on stage 8: many riders finished with torn jerseys, and Czech cyclist Jan Hirt also crashed ten kilometres from the finish, though he continued the race. A mass pile-up also occurred in the finishing sprint, with the stage ultimately won by Frenchman Bryan Coquard.

Enric Mas became the new overall race leader, but out of respect for Pogačar he declined to wear the leader's red jersey on the podium.

Read also: 9 best cycling routes around Prague: from the Vltava embankments to Karlštejn Castle

Source: sport.cz