Pogacar crashes out of Vuelta, Mas leads

Tadej Pogacar crashed out of the Vuelta a España on Saturday, August 29, ending his attempt to win all three Grand Tours in a single year. The UAE Team Emirates rider, who began the stage with a lead of three minutes and 50 seconds, suffered the injury on the ride from Pucol to Xeraco.

Slovenia's Pogacar went down in the peloton with more than 30 km remaining. Television replays showed him swerving right, colliding with another rider before falling. He was then hit by riders from behind. The 27-year-old tried to remount but sat back down as medics arrived. He later walked to an ambulance with his arm in a sling.

His team confirmed the withdrawal on social media. "Sadly Tadej Pogacar has been forced out... following a crash on stage eight," UAE Team Emirates-XRG posted. Pogacar had won the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 2024. A Vuelta victory would have made him the ninth rider to complete the Grand Tour hat-trick.

New Race Leader

With Pogacar out, Enric Mas of Movistar took the red jersey as overall leader. He is the first Spaniard to lead the Vuelta since Jesus Herrada in 2018. Primoz Roglic, Pogacar's compatriot and a four-time Vuelta winner, now sits second, one minute behind Mas.

The stage win went to Frenchman Bryan Coquard of Cofidis, who triumphed after a separate crash in the final kilometre. Mads Pedersen finished second, with Jordi Meeus third.

A Sombre Podium

The mood at the podium was subdued. Mas accepted the leader's jersey but did not wear it, holding it in front of him instead. He expressed regret over his rival's misfortune. "It’s a real shame," Mas said about Pogacar's crash. "I hope he gets better quickly. We've still got a few races left and I hope he'll be in good shape for them."

Pogacar's teammates, who had stopped to assist him, finished the stage nearly 12 minutes after the main peloton. The Vuelta continues on Sunday with a 187.5 km mountainous stage from Villajoyosa to Alto de Aitana. Teams will now be checking their injuries lists and adjusting strategy for the remaining fixtures in the race.