Tadej Pogacar’s Worlds defence remains in doubt

Tadej Pogacar’s bid to retain his world road race title is in serious doubt after the injuries that forced him out of the Vuelta a España. The Slovenian had been expected to challenge for a third successive rainbow jersey in Montréal on September 27, but his recovery timeline leaves that objective uncertain.

Pogacar crashed during the race’s eighth stage and suffered a concussion, a displaced fracture of his left collarbone, a stable fracture to the C7 cervical vertebra and several abrasions. He underwent successful surgery on the collarbone on Monday. The 27-year-old is a five-time Tour de France winner and was leading the Vuelta when the accident occurred.

Kristof Knap, the Slovenian national team doctor, said competing in a race only a month after the crash would not be realistic. He stressed that Pogacar needs a complete rehabilitation programme without rushing his return, despite the importance of the World Championships to the double defending champion.

UAE Team Emirates’ medical staff will oversee the next stage of his recovery once he returns home. The team said his progress would be monitored closely throughout the rehabilitation process, leaving his participation in Montréal dependent on how quickly he regains full fitness.