Tadej Pogacar, the current race leader of the Vuelta a España, has officially withdrawn from the competition following a severe fall during the eighth stage. The incident occurred approximately 31km from the finish of the flat stage, resulting in injuries to the Slovenian rider’s shoulder and face. Pogacar, representing UAE Team Emirates-XRG, was transported from the scene by ambulance.
The crash happened when Pogacar made contact with another rider, causing him to lose control of his handlebars. Although his teammates waited for him as the peloton continued, Pogacar attempted to remount his bike after a few minutes. However, he was clearly in distress, wincing in pain and calling out “no” when he attempted to touch the bicycle. His team subsequently confirmed his withdrawal via a post on X, stating: “Sadly Tadej Pogacar has been forced out… following a crash on stage eight.”
Prior to the accident, Pogacar held a lead of 3min 50sec over Enric Mas, who was in second place. This marks the first occasion in the 27-year-old’s career that he has failed to complete a grand tour. Pogacar, a five-time Tour de France winner and Giro d’Italia champion, had been aiming for his first overall victory in the Spanish race to join the elite group of cyclists who have won all three grand tours.
Following the stage, Movistar’s Enric Mas assumed the red jersey, becoming the first Spanish rider to lead the Vuelta since Jesus Herrada in 2018. Felix Gall of Decathlon CMA CGM moved into second place overall, trailing Mas by one minute and 11 seconds, with Primoz Roglic sitting 22 seconds further back in third. During the podium ceremony, a sombre Mas held the red jersey rather than wearing it, expressing his hope for Pogacar’s quick recovery.
The stage itself was won by Bryan Coquard of Cofidis, following a separate crash involving multiple riders in the final kilometre. Mads Pedersen took second place, and Jordi Meeus finished third. The race is scheduled to continue on Sunday with a 187.5 km mountainous route from Villajoyosa to Alto de Aitana, ahead of a rest day on Monday.
In July, Pogacar joined a select group of five-time Tour de France winners in Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Induráin. He is the youngest rider to have won five Tours, more than a year younger than Merckx was in achieving the same feat, and is the first person to finish on the podium seven years running. He is also the only rider to have been on the podium in nine consecutive grand tours.
