Race leader Tadej Pogačar was forced to abandon the Vuelta a España on Saturday after crashing during the eighth stage, bringing his first appearance at the Spanish Grand Tour to an unexpected end.
The 27-year-old Slovenian world champion went down with about 33 kilometres remaining while riding in the middle of the peloton. He suffered a visible cut to the left side of his face and an injury to his left shoulder.
Television footage showed Pogačar initially attempting to remount his bicycle after the crash, but he soon gave up and sat by the roadside. He later got to his feet and walked unaided to a waiting ambulance, officially ending his participation in the three-week race.
Pogačar had started the stage as the overwhelming favourite to win the overall title, holding a commanding three-minute, 50-second advantage over his nearest rival.
His withdrawal is a major blow to his hopes of achieving one of cycling’s rarest feats — winning all three Grand Tours in the same calendar year. The Slovenian had already secured his fifth Tour de France title and won the Giro d’Italia earlier this season.
With six Grand Tour victories already to his name, Pogačar’s abandonment marks a rare setback for one of the sport’s most dominant riders, who had never previously failed to finish a Grand Tour.
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