{"id":206157,"date":"2026-08-31T09:58:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T09:58:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=206157"},"modified":"2026-08-31T09:59:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T09:59:04","slug":"enric-mas-takes-charge-of-vuelta-after-pogacar-crashes-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2026\/08\/31\/enric-mas-takes-charge-of-vuelta-after-pogacar-crashes-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Enric Mas Takes Charge of Vuelta After Poga\u010dar Crashes Out\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tadej Poga\u010dar was forced to abandon the 2026 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a\u00a0after crashing heavily about 34 km from the finish of Saturday’s stage 8. According to a medical report by UAE’s medical director, Dr Adrian Rotunno, \u201cTadej has been diagnosed with a concussion, a displaced left clavicle fracture, a stable C7 cervical fracture, and multiple abrasions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Fortunately, no other major injuries and no neurological fallout. He will require clavicle surgery<\/span>,<\/span> which will be delayed due to concussion precautions. Tadej remains under the care of our medical team<\/span>,<\/span> and we\u2019ll provide further updates following the surgery.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The operation will be carried out in Barcelona once the concussion has sufficiently healed. A decision on whether he will be riding again this year will be made afterwards, though it seems doubtful considering the nature of the injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

The five-time Tour winner apparently rode over a large rock on the side of the road, then veered sharply to the right, colliding with other riders and then hitting the asphalt with his head and shoulder. Bleeding from the face, he tried to get back on his bike, but the pain was too much. He was then taken to hospital by ambulance.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Poga\u010dar out of the race, the race has been thrown wide open. As stage 9 began, the new race leader was the home <\/span>favourite<\/span>, Enric Mas (Movistar), with Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d (Red Bull\u2013BORA\u2013hansgrohe) in second, at 1:00, and Felix Gall (Decathlon GMA GCA) sitting third, 1:11 adrift.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now for some good news<\/b><\/h2>\n

The disastrous stage 8 ended in a bunch sprint, which was won by the 34-year-old Frenchman Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), who took his first-ever Grand Tour stage win by nipping Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Jordi Meeus (Red Bull\u2013BORA\u2013hansgrohe) at the line after a chaotic and crash-filled finale.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI waited a lot of time for this victory, 13 years,\u201d the delighted Coquard told TNT Sports. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>I finished second lots of times in Grand Tours, and I am 34 years old. I\u2019m so proud, and very happy.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He went on to praise his Cofidis teammates, saying: <\/span>\u201c<\/span>My team did a perfect job. We don’t have a lot of top lead-out men, but I had Alexis [Renard] today. All of [our] climbers tried to take me to 5 km to the finish line in a good position with Alexis, and after that, I just followed Alexis. At 500 <\/span>metres<\/span>, I saw Jordi Meeus, and I knew he was very fast in this type of finish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Zobrazit p\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek na Instagramu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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P\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek sd\u00edlen\u00fd La Vuelta (@lavuelta)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n