"He has to live with this body for the rest of his life" - Tadej Pogacar's World Championships bid 'isn't realistic' for Slovenia's team doctor
CyclingFriday, 04 September 2026 at 03:00
Tadej Pogacar has undergone surgery earlier this week and has returned home after spending a few days in the northeast of Spain. The questions over whether he participates in the World Championships or not remain, but the Slovenian national team doctor is not positive that it is a realistic option.
Pogacar crashed during stage 8 of the Vuelta a España, suffering a fractured vertebra and collarbone. The red jersey wasn't able to stay in the race where he was heading towards apparent overall victory. The Slovenian suffered a concussion as well, which delayed his necessary collarbone surgery.
At the time being, Pogacar has been dispatched from the hospital and has returned home to Monaco. The recovery time is not yet clear. The World Championships take place on the 27th of September and Il Lombardia is on the 10th October.
Tadej Pogacar was leading the Vuelta a España at the time of his withdrawal
Return to racing unrealistic for Pogacar
But even under the brightest circumstances, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider could return to competition but without his best form. But within the next few weeks, to be back to racing is an unlikely prospect.
“It isn’t realistic, however much we might want it. Ultimately, Tadej is only human, and he has to live with this body for the rest of his life," Slovenian team doctor Kristof Knap said in an interview with RTV SLO.
Rehabilitation above everything, Slovenian doctor argues
Whilst there are important goals left in the season, they may come to soon for such extensive injuries, for a rider that has already conquered so much, means that it is unlikely that the risk will be taken.
"The most important thing is that he rehabilitates fully, without rushing the process," Knap argues. In any way, Pogacar currently has a contract lasting until 2030, and if it is fulfilled, there will still be four more seasons to accomplish goals in what is the most successful palmarès in modern cycling.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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