Tadej Pogačar abandons the Vuelta after crash on stage eight

The race leader has been forced to leave the race due to his injuries

ANDORRA LA VELLA, ANDORRA - AUGUST 25: Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates XRG - Red Leader Jersey attacks in the breakaway during the La Vuelta - 81st Tour of Spain 2026, Stage 4 a 104.8km from Andorra la Vella to Andorra la Vella / #UCIWT / on August 25, 2026 in Andorra la Vella, Andorra. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Tadej Pogačar has abandoned the Vuelta
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Race leader Tadej Pogačar has abandoned the Vuelta a España after a crash on stage eight.

The UAE Emirates-XRG rider appeared to have hit a small rock on the left-hand side of the road, causing him to come down – and taking other riders with him.

Pogačar, grimacing, attempted to remount his bike, before deciding that the pain was too much. Face and shoulder cut and bloodied, he was ushered towards an ambulance, and his race put to an abrupt and unexpected end. He will head straight to the hospital.

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Until then, it had been an uneventful stage, with most of the peloton taking it as a kind of rest day before tomorrow’s mountain stage.

Pogačar’s crash came 31km from the stage’s finish, just after the intermediate sprint.

More to follow…

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