Pogacar to have surgery on broken collarbone after horrific Vuelta crash

Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar was sent hurtling head-over-handlebars in a frightening crash that forced him to pull out of the Spanish Vuelta.

The Slovenian suffered a concussion and broke two bones, one of which will require surgery, after he appeared to lose control when a stone rolled across the road on Saturday.

“Tadej has been diagnosed with a concussion, displaced left clavicle fracture, a stable C7 cervical fracture, and multiple abrasions,” said UAE Team Emirates medical director Adrian Rotunno.

“Fortunately, no other major injuries and no neurological fallout. He will require clavicle surgery, which will be delayed due to concussion precautions. Tadej remains under the care of our medical team and we’ll provide further updates following the surgery,” Rotunno added.

Pogacar held a big lead in the Vuelta and was heavily favoured to win the title to complete a hat-trick of cycling’s three Grand Tours. But he crashed about 33km from the finish of the eighth stage. He tried to get back on his bike but could not carry on and walked to an ambulance. Race organisers confirmed he pulled out of the race.

Pogacar was attempting to become the ninth male rider to win all three Grand Tour races. Pogacar won the Tour de France for a third successive time and a record-tying fifth overall in July, and he claimed the Giro d’Italia in 2024. He had not raced in the Vuelta since making his Grand Tour debut at the event in 2019.

TV video showed Pogacar with cuts on his head, left arm and shoulder. He swerved to his right into other cyclists as he appeared to try to avoid something in the road. The Tour de France champion lost control and flew over his handlebars, hitting his head and shoulder.

UAE Team Emirates sports manager Matxin Joxean Fernandez said after the stage that Pogacar had needed stitches in his eyebrow and elsewhere.