Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian cycling star and five-time Tour de France champion, has announced that he will conclude his season early due to a fractured collarbone. This injury, which he sustained in a crash at the Vuelta a España, will prevent him from participating in this month's world championships in Montreal.
In a statement released by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Pogacar expressed his disappointment, stating, "Of course, this isn’t the way I wanted my season to finish. Right now, the most important thing is to recover properly and give my body the time it needs." The injury occurred during stage eight of the Vuelta, where Pogacar suffered not only a collarbone fracture but also a concussion, a cervical fracture, and various cuts and bruises.
Prior to his crash, Pogacar was in a commanding position in the Vuelta, leading the race by an impressive three minutes and 50 seconds just a week into the competition. He was widely regarded as the favorite to win, aiming to achieve a historic clean sweep of the three Grand Tours in a single career. Having already secured his fifth Tour de France title in July, joining legends such as Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx, Pogacar was on the verge of making history.
Despite the setback, Pogacar reflected on his season, highlighting the many special moments and expressing pride in his achievements. He stated, "It has been a season with many special moments and I’m proud of what we achieved together. Now I’ll focus on getting healthy, supporting the guys from home, and coming back next year ready for what’s ahead." His immediate plans included targeting a third world road race title and a sixth consecutive Giro di Lombardia victory, both of which are now off the table.
Mauro Gianetti, the team principal of UAE Emirates, emphasized that there is no pressure for Pogacar to return to racing this year, stating that his health and recovery are the top priorities. Medical director Adrian Rotunno confirmed that Pogacar is recovering well post-surgery but reiterated the importance of not rushing his return to competition.
In a positive development for his future with the team, UAE Team Emirates announced that Pogacar has signed a contract extension through to the end of the 2032 season. Pogacar expressed his satisfaction with this decision, saying, "From the beginning, this team has felt like home for me. We have grown together over the years and shared some incredible moments, so I’m very happy to extend my contract until 2032. There is still a lot I want to achieve in this sport and I believe this is the right place to do it." As Pogacar focuses on his recovery, cycling fans will be eagerly awaiting his return to the sport next season.
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