Despite the severity of the injuries, team management remains optimistic about a potential start in late September, though much depends on an upcoming surgical procedure scheduled for early this week.
High-Speed Vuelta Crash Derails Slovenian Star
According to team principal Mauro Gianetti, Pogacar remains hospitalized and has not yet undergone surgery due to the accompanying concussion he suffered during the incident.
Surgery Delayed by Concussion Protocols
“The time is very short, he is still in the hospital, he has not been operated on yet. Of course it would not be easy to recover by the Worlds,” Gianetti said during the Vuelta’s rest day, as reported by German news agency dpa. “The fracture of the collarbone is quite bad, it requires a rather serious operation. That of course does not help.”
Tight Window for Montreal Defense
Pogacar holds two consecutive world road race titles and faces a tight window to defend his rainbow jersey at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, Canada, where the elite men’s road race is scheduled for September 27. While standard bone healing typically requires approximately six weeks, elite cyclists have occasionally managed accelerated comebacks within four weeks under optimal clinical conditions.
Gianetti admitted he felt immediate alarm upon seeing the crash at high speed on Saturday. “I was really scared, because when you see the high speeds, then you get injured,” the team director said. “When he stood, I was somewhat relieved. I said to myself: ‘Ok, he stands, he walks, he wants to continue.’ But of course that wasn’t possible.”
Ambitions Stalled on the Autumn Calendar
The crash abruptly halts what had been a dominant campaign and disrupts an ambitious autumn schedule. Pogacar, a five-time Tour de France champion, started the Vuelta for only the second time in his career, having previously finished third overall as a 20-year-old debutant in 2019.
Beyond the World Championships in Montreal on September 27, Pogacar’s late-season itinerary includes Il Lombardia on October 10. The Slovenian rider has won the prestigious Italian monument—often referred to as the race of the falling leaves—for four consecutive years.
Waiting on Medical Evaluation
Team management stated that a definitive assessment regarding his participation at the World Championships will only be possible after the collarbone surgery is completed and doctors evaluate his initial response to rehabilitation later in the week.
