Vuelta a España leader Tadej Pogačar was forced to abandon the race after suffering a heavy crash during stage eight, dealing a major blow to his hopes of winning the Spanish Grand Tour for the first time.
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The five-time Tour de France champion went down with just over 30 kilometres remaining on the route from Puçol to Xeraco. Pogačar suffered visible injuries to his face and shoulder and initially attempted to continue after receiving medical attention, but he was unable to remain on his bike and was eventually taken away in an ambulance.
Pogačar had been dominating the race and wore the red leader’s jersey after winning the opening stage. He entered stage eight with a 3-minute, 50-second advantage over Enric Mas, making his withdrawal one of the biggest shocks of this year’s Vuelta.
His departure has dramatically changed the overall standings. Enric Mas moved into the race lead, while Bryan Coquard won the eighth stage in a sprint finish.
Pogačar had been targeting his first Vuelta title in an effort to complete victories in all three Grand Tours, making the crash particularly disappointing for the Slovenian star.
The Vuelta is now wide open, with Pogačar’s unexpected exit transforming the battle for the overall title and giving his rivals a fresh opportunity to fight for Grand Tour glory.