Tadej Pogacar Faces Unlikely Recovery for World Championships After Vuelta a Espana Crash

Tadej Pogacar has been discharged from the hospital following his race-ending crash at the Vuelta a Espana, but medical experts describe his chances of competing in this month's World Championships as "not realistic." The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider underwent surgery on his broken collarbone on Monday following the incident during Stage 8, which also resulted in a concussion and multiple cuts and bruises.

The Emirati team confirmed the surgery was successful and announced that Tadej Pogacar would be monitored at the university hospital of Dexeus in Barcelona for a few days before returning home to Monaco. Urska Zigart, his partner, subsequently shared images on Instagram showing the Slovenian outdoors with his left arm in a sling alongside friend and team masseur Ziga Jerman.

While leaving the hospital marks a positive step, his full recovery process continues, and no official announcement has been made regarding his racing schedule for the remainder of the season. Tadej Pogacar had intended to pursue a third consecutive Road World Championships crown at the elite men's race scheduled for September 27 in Montreal, followed by the European Championships on October 4 and Il Lombardia on October 10.

However, Slovenian national team doctor Kristof Knap expressed strong doubts about his readiness. "It's not realistic, even though we all would like it," Kristof Knap told Slovenia TV channel RTVSlo. "In the end, Tadej Pogacar is also a man who has to live the rest of his life in his own body after the end of his career."

Teammate Domen Nova also acknowledged the difficulty of making the start line in Montreal, while noting Tadej Pogacar's relentless work ethic. Meanwhile, UAE Team Emirates-XRG management emphasized that health remains the top priority. Sports manager Matxin Joxean Fernandez stressed that the rider's long-term wellbeing and personal recovery take precedence over any racing calendar.

Before his withdrawal, Tadej Pogacar dominated La Vuelta as the runaway leader with a nearly four-minute advantage over Enric Mas of the Movistar Team after securing three stage victories.