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Tadej Pogacar abandoned the Spanish Vuelta on Saturday following a crash near the finish line of stage eight, ending his bid to complete cycling’s Grand Tour triple crown. The Slovenian competitor, who held a commanding 3 minutes, 50 seconds advantage over second-place Enric Mas of Movistar, was unable to continue after the incident and withdrew from the three-week event.
Pogacar, riding for UAE Team Emirates, had been positioned to become the ninth male cyclist to win all three Grand Tour races in a single season. The 26-year-old captured his record-tying fifth Tour de France title in July—his third consecutive victory—and claimed the Giro d’Italia championship earlier this year, leaving only the Vuelta to complete the historic achievement.
Television footage indicated Pogacar sustained injuries to his left arm and shoulder during the collision. Stage eight, contested Saturday from Puçol to Xeraco, covered 171 kilometers on a flat route designed to favor sprinters and presented no significant climbing challenges.
The final stage of the Vuelta will conclude in Granada on September 13. Pogacar had not competed in the Spanish Grand Tour since making his debut at the event in 2019.
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