Pogacar abandons Vuelta after heavy crash, sustains facial injuries

Pogacar crashed heavily and had to abandon the race. Source: Eurosport

The cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar has been forced to abandon the Vuelta a España after a heavy crash on the eighth stage. The Slovenian world champion attempted to remount his bike but ultimately ended his tour prematurely.

Crash Details

Pogacar sat on the asphalt with bleeding wounds on his left shoulder and head. He grabbed his racing machine, unwilling to give up his dream of winning the Vuelta, but the pain proved too great. He eventually entered the ambulance and abandoned the stage.

The crash occurred 32 kilometers before the finish in Xeraco. The world champion went headfirst over the handlebars after a swerve, also taking down two riders from the Visma team. The exact cause remained unclear, though Pogacar may have swerved to avoid a stone on the roadside.

Impact on the Overall Classification

Pogacar was the leader in the overall classification at the time of the crash.

Pogacar was the leader in the overall classification until his crash. Source: JOSE JORDAN/AFP

The 27-year-old was well on his way to winning the Vuelta for the first time. After three stage wins, he held a lead of 3:50 minutes over Spaniard Enric Mas before the eighth stage. The Tour of Spain is the only Grand Tour missing from Pogacar's list of victories. He won the Tour de France for the fifth time at the end of July and won the Giro d'Italia in 2024.

Following Pogacar's exit, Enric Mas is now the new leader. Four-time overall winner Primoz Roglic can also hope for another success.

Stage 8 Result

The eighth stage, covering 171 kilometers from Pucol to Xeraco, was won by Frenchman Bryan Coquard in a sprint ahead of former world champion Mads Pedersen. Shortly before the final sprint, a heavy mass crash occurred, leaving only a small group to sprint for the win.

Medical Update and Future Uncertainty

Pogacar was taken to the hospital after the crash, according to Eurosport. His UAE team announced that further information would be provided during the evening.

The crash also raises questions about whether Pogacar can defend his world title at the championships in Montreal in September. The exceptional talent won the World Championship road race in both 2024 and 2025.

Rare Crash for Pogacar

Heavy crashes are uncommon for Pogacar. In 2023, he crashed in the classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège and suffered a scaphoid fracture. Otherwise, his few crashes have been relatively mild, such as one during the 2025 Tour. In stage races, Pogacar had finished the race in all 50 of his starts prior to this incident.

Similar to Vingegaard and Lipowitz

The scenes were reminiscent of those involving Pogacar's rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz. Both crashed at the Tour de France and each suffered a broken collarbone. Vingegaard has since ended his season, while it remains unclear whether Lipowitz will compete again this season.

Source: step/dpa