Tadej Pogacar undergoes successful surgery - Will the World Champion still race in 2026?
CyclingTuesday, 01 September 2026 at 09:49
Tadej Pogacar has already undergone surgery after the heavy crash he suffered last Saturday at the Vuelta a España, which forced him to abandon the race while wearing the red jersey. The Slovenian was operated on Monday for his left collarbone and, according to UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s medical report, the procedure was successful.
The team’s medical director, Adrian Rotunno, confirmed the rider’s progress after the operation: “This afternoon, Tadej underwent successful surgery on his left clavicle after receiving the all-clear to proceed with the operation. The procedure went well and he will remain in hospital for post-operative monitoring for a few days".
The team also explained that, once discharged, Pogacar will return home to begin recovery and rehabilitation under the supervision of the UAE Team Emirates-XRG medical staff.
"When ready, Tadej will travel home to begin his recovery and rehabilitation under the supervision of the team’s medical staff. We will continue to monitor his progress closely throughout the recovery process,” added Rotunno.
Tadej Pogacar in hospital
A crash that ended his Vuelta
Pogacar had to abandon the Vuelta a España last Saturday after a spectacular crash during stage 8, between Puçol and Xeraco. The Slovenian was catapulted over his bike and, after receiving medical attention, was taken to hospital for further tests.
The initial diagnosis confirmed a concussion, a displaced fracture of the left collarbone, a stable C7 cervical fracture, and multiple abrasions. The team stated at the time that there were no other major injuries or neurological impairment.
Collarbone surgery had to be delayed initially due to precautions related to the concussion. Once doctors gave the go-ahead, Pogacar was able to undergo the operation.
A completely different phase now begins for the reigning Tour de France champion. There is still no official date for his return to competition, so any decision on his schedule will depend on how he progresses over the coming weeks.
Worlds, Lombardia, or a return in 2027?
The big question is whether Pogacar can race again before the end of 2026. His late-season targets included the World Championships in Montreal on the 27th September and Il Lombardia on the 10th of October. He was also slated to ride the European Championships in Slovenia.
As of today, however, there is no confirmation he will start any of those races. The team itself has avoided setting timelines and is now focused entirely on the Slovenian’s recovery.
The evolution of the collarbone fracture, recovery from the concussion, and, especially, the status of the cervical injury will define the next steps. Pogacar will have to wait to know whether there is a realistic chance to return in time for Montreal Worlds or, conversely, whether his season is over and his comeback will come in 2027.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- I think Pogi should not return this year, he's done enough. But if he was to return, he should only do the last race this season, and that is the fifth Monument- Il Lombardia, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. If he would win it, he would be the first cyclist in history to win four Monuments in the same year, while being second in one (Paris-Roubaix). Now I'm not saying that's a smart thing to do, but you never know with these sports "super-humans" like Pogi or Marquez... and todays science in medical technology. What ever the decision will be, I hope it's for the good of Pogi, because things can also go very bad and ugly if the wrong decision is made.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- I agree, but if he was to return, he should only do the last race this season, and that is the fifth Monument- Il Lombardia, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. If he would win it, he would be the first cyclist in history to win four Monuments in the same year, while being second in one (Paris-Roubaix). Now I'm not saying that's a smart thing to do, but you never know with these sports "super-humans" like Pogi or Marquez... and todays science in medical technology. What ever the decision will be, I hope it's for the good of Pogi, because things can also go very wrong if not done properly.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- Stef Clement is an analyst, with the BS he said, really? Does he know that crashes are on numerous occasions inevitable and unavoidable? No he doesn't. If he did, he wouldn't be spitting "#$%&/()=* nonsense around. PS: Did Jonas, Van Aert, Remco, Roglič...etc etc. crash so many times because they knew they were the best and became careless? Answer this one Clement, but don't insult my intelligence.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- Just stop the BS.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- Yeah, he was "due" a proper DNF hospitalising crash purely on the law of averages like you say. That many race days and near-misses without one is more unusual than actually hitting the dirt.wrsty01-09-2026
- Pog's incredible bike handling skills have saved him a number of times in the past when lesser riders would certainly have crashed. For example, Stage 2 of the 2022 Tour, Stage 5 of the 2024 Tour, Stage 16 (ITT) of this year's Tour and most recently, Stage 6 of this Vuelta. This time, however, he had practically no reaction time to take avoiding action, with the peloton so bunched up and Pog not able to clearly see the road ahead. Was it due to overconfidence? Of course not. He was having a drink from his bidon at the time, but he has done it millions of times in similar situations before. On such a hot day, you are not going to wait for the peloton to string out before taking a drink. Basically, it was a freak accident, which no one could have anticipated. Finally, the law of averages caught up with him and his luck ran out.Cooldude01-09-2026
- It's really sad that the first Spanish rider to lead the race in 8 years, winning a stage in Red - and he couldn't even get a photo on the front page of this site yesterday - instead it's wall-to-wall hot takes and circular discussions about this crash. I'm waiting for all this home-sleuthing and whatnot to turn accusatory and blame-laying, as someone has to pay for this perfect narrative being derailed. And you know somewhere, there's a design for the GT triple special edition UAE kit being quietly deleted/destroyed. Meanwhile, Enric Mas having the ride of his life, the GC fight completely wide open - but nah, let's fill the space with podcast hot-takes. So disrespectful.wrsty01-09-2026
- How idiotic do you have to be to give this take ffsvappaxbipmv01-09-2026
- I really hope he doesn't return this season, and takes the time to recover properly and look after himself - not feel pressured by sponsors and armchair pundits to risk his recovery and long-term health. His wins in 2026 alone are a glittering career haul for most riders, so he's got nothing to "salvage" from crashing out of La Vuelta.wrsty01-09-2026
- Feels like they are building a super team without a really top TOP-tier wunderkind GC guy in place (no offence to Onley) - perhaps this is all to tempt a certain young Frenchman?wrsty01-09-2026
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