Tadej Pogacar Reflects on 'Scary' Vuelta Crash: 'Happy to Be Alive'

Tadej Pogacar, the star rider for UAE Team Emirates, has opened up about the severe, season-ending injuries he sustained during the Vuelta a Espana in August, admitting he is simply "happy to be alive." The five-time Tour de France champion was aiming to add the Vuelta to his impressive list of achievements, the only Grand Tour he has yet to win. However, a "scary" crash on Stage 8 resulted in three fractured vertebrae, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and necessitating surgery for a broken collarbone.

Initially diagnosed with a neck fracture, further scans in his home country revealed more extensive damage. "I knew I had a C7 fracture, but then we saw I had two more broken vertebrae, the T1 and T2," Pogacar told The Athletic. "At that moment, I was happy I didn't do the European Championships, which had been my initial goal. When I saw I had three broken vertebrae? I'm just happy to be alive actually, or just to be standing."

The 28-year-old Slovenian also experienced concussion symptoms, including dizziness, nausea, and poor co-ordination. "I had to be showered with the help of the team doctor. I could not shower. I was getting dizzy as soon as I stood or when I put my head down," Pogacar shared. "I was just completely out of it and it was so tough."

These injuries prevented Pogacar from defending his title at the World Championships in Montreal, where his UAE teammate Brandon McNulty secured the 2026 crown. Mentally, Pogacar found the recovery challenging, though his spirits lifted as he began light indoor training. "When I started to get on the home trainer, to go to physio every day, then I started to feel better, also in the head. But it was a day-to-day fight," he said. "I don't have discomfort any more. I have to be careful not to crash on the bike, or do some heavy lifting with my left arm or with my neck. But I can do basically everything normal now."

Pogacar is targeting a return to racing next year, acknowledging that the memory of the crash will likely linger. UAE Team Emirates has stated there is no set timeline for his return, prioritizing a full recovery. Pogacar signed an extended contract in September, committing him to the team until 2032. "If I crash again on the bike now, it can be very problematic. Everybody says that I was lucky, and you're always lucky after a crash where you can walk away and you're fine," he concluded. "You see it's pretty serious and not to joke around. It's a bit scary, to be honest, to think..."