Pogacar season ends after Vuelta crash

Tadej Pogacar will not compete for the remainder of the 2026 season following injuries sustained in a crash during the Vuelta a España, his team UAE Team EmiratesXRG confirmed on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The 27-year-old Slovenian cyclist suffered a fractured collarbone, a cervical fracture, and a concussion in a high-speed fall on stage eight of the race. The crash, which occurred last August 30, 2026, forced Pogacar out of the Vuelta a España while he was leading the general classification. He had been aiming to win the only Grand Tour title missing from his palmarès, having previously won the Giro d'Italia in 2024 and the Tour de France five times. Following the incident, Pogacar underwent surgery for his fractured collarbone and was released from a Spanish hospital earlier this week. Pogacar's injuries rule him out of several major upcoming events, including the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal later this month, where he was the favorite to defend his title. He will also miss the European Championships in his home country of Slovenia and the prestigious one-day race Il Lombardia, where he had won a record five consecutive times.