Five-time winner of the Tour de France and top contender Tadej Pogacar had to exit the Spanish Vuelta following a crash on the eighth stage of the competition on Saturday. Despite holding a significant lead in the race, the Slovenian cyclist was involved in an incident approximately 33 kilometers from the finish line. Pogacar attempted to resume cycling but ultimately had to abandon the race and was assisted to an ambulance by race officials.
The prominent cyclist from UAE Team Emirates aimed to achieve the feat of winning all three Grand Tour races, a record only accomplished by eight male riders before him. Having secured victory in the Tour de France for the third consecutive time and clinching his fifth title in July, Pogacar also triumphed in the Giro d’Italia in 2024. Notably, this Vuelta was his first appearance since his debut at the event in 2019.
Following the crash, television footage showed Pogacar sustaining injuries to his head, left arm, and shoulder. His team’s sports manager, Matxin Joxean Fernandez, disclosed that Pogacar received stitches for a cut on his eyebrow and other injuries. Fernandez acknowledged the unfortunate nature of cycling incidents and emphasized Pogacar’s initial intent to continue riding before the extent of his shoulder pain became apparent.
Pogacar, who had led the race since the opening stage, held a substantial lead of 3 minutes and 50 seconds over Enric Mas of Movistar before the incident on Saturday’s stage. Mas subsequently took over the race leader position, marking the first time a Spanish rider led the Vuelta since 2018. Mas was cautious in celebrating the new leadership status out of respect for Pogacar’s misfortune and expressed hope for his swift recovery.
Despite the setback, Pogacar’s main competitor, Jonas Vingegaard, was not participating in the Vuelta due to an injury sustained during the Tour de France earlier in the year. This was Pogacar’s 10th Grand Tour appearance and the first time he had to withdraw from a race, having never finished below third place in previous competitions.
The three-week cycling event is set to conclude in Granada on September 13, with the remaining stages promising intense competition and potential changes in the leaderboard.