{"id":754527,"date":"2026-08-30T11:54:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T11:54:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/754527\/"},"modified":"2026-08-30T11:54:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T11:54:12","slug":"stayin-alive-tadej-pogacar-posts-update-from-barcelona-hospital-bed-as-question-marks-linger-over-cause-of-crash-and-rest-of-season-after-vuelta-a-espana-abandon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/754527\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Stayin Alive’ \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar posts update from Barcelona hospital bed as question marks linger over cause of crash and rest of season after Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a abandon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> has been transferred by ambulance to a hospital in Barcelona following his abandon of the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a, with surgery on his injuries from his crash late on stage 8<\/a> delayed until he has recovered sufficiently from a concussion.<\/p>\n

TV footage from late on Friday evening showed the former Vuelta leader leaving the hospital in Gandia \u2013 the nearest facility to where he crashed in southern Valencia and where Poga\u010dar was initially treated \u2013 on a stretcher before being placed in an ambulance.<\/p>\n

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The 350km journey by road from the southern Valencia region to the capital of Catalunya, where Poga\u010dar is expected to undergo surgery for a broken collarbone, typically takes around four hours.<\/p>\n

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The operation itself will need to be delayed, according to multiple media sources, because Poga\u010dar suffered a concussion in the crash. He also sustained a fractured C7 vertebra, the lowest bone in the neck. Thankfully, the vertebra fracture is stable, Poga\u010dar’s UAE team have reported, meaning there’s no risk of vertebra movement affecting the spinal cord.<\/p>\n

The postponement of the operation raises even more questions about whether Poga\u010dar will be able to return to racing before the end of the season, or if his year is now over.<\/p>\n

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Before crashing out of the Vuelta, the Slovenian was next due to race at the Road World Championships<\/a> in Montreal, Canada. After that, he was set to head for the European Championships in Slovenia before pulling down the curtain on his year, as usual, at Il Lombardia \u2013 a race he has won for five consecutive years.<\/p>\n

However, after such a serious crash and extensive injuries, it remains very unclear whether he will race again before the season ends.<\/p>\n

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Another large question mark hangs over the exact cause of Poga\u010dar’s crash, which took place in the middle of a large peloton. Judging from the available television footage, it did not appear to have been caused by a collision with another rider.<\/p>\n

The team themselves did not blame anyone for the accident, describing it simply as a “race situation”. Although there is speculation it may have been caused by the Vuelta leader riding over a small rock at the roadside and losing his balance, there is no definitive evidence. Until Poga\u010dar himself provides an explanation, the exact cause remains uncertain.<\/p>\n

Poga\u010dar posted a selfie to his Instagram story<\/a> on Sunday morning. Soundtracked by Bee Gees’ ‘Stayin Alive’. The photo shows him lying in his hospital bed wearing a soft neck brace with plasters on his face and hand wounds.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Vuelta itself continues with a new leader in Enric Mas (Movistar), who refused to wear the red jersey on the podium<\/a> after stage 8 as a sign of respect for Poga\u010dar. He leads with a minute’s advantage over four-time Vuelta winner Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).<\/p>\n

Today’s mammoth mountain stage 9<\/a>, featuring more than 5,000 metres of climbing and a summit finish at the Alto de Aitana, should provide the first major sort-out of the remodelled GC.<\/p>\n

For unbeatable coverage across road, gravel and tech, subscribe to Cyclingnews. You’ll get comprehensive race coverage of La Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a, subscriber-exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.<\/a><\/p>\n