"When Pogacar is no longer around, it creates incredible suspense" - Thomas Voeckler looks forward to thrilling World Championships
CyclingSunday, 30 August 2026 at 23:00
The autumn of the 2026 season has a completely new spice to it. Due to the injuries suffered in a Vuelta a Espana crash, it seems like world champion Tadej Pogacar might have to miss the rest of the on-going season. This creates completely different dynamics for the races that are yet to take place, and that's a great opportunity also for French cyclist Paul Seixas to net a big victory.
Already that evening, the Slovenian's team reported about the state of their superstar who had been diagnosed with a concussion, displaced left clavicle fracture, a stable C7 cervical fracture, and multiple abrasions.
Pogacar will have a surgery to treat his clavicle, but in any case it seems as though the World Championships in Montreal (27/09) are out of consideration. And the European Championships in Ljubljana (04/10) nor Il Lombardia (10/10) are likely to see Pogacar at the start either.
However the most important is to make sure that the 27-year-old can fully recover and resume his phenomenal career in the same fashion as has been the case until now.
"There are plenty of crashes, but some have consequences," commented Thomas Voeckler, coach of the French national team, speaking to RMC. "And when it involves Pogacar, who wins everything, it's normal that it makes the news."
"He's the strongest, even those who finish second or third admit it. Those who try to keep up with him once get burned, and after that they do the best they can. When Pogacar is no longer around, it creates incredible suspense."
Can Seixas capitalize on Pogacar's absence?
With Pogacar at the start, not many riders in the world dare to think of a victory. But the situation for upcoming World Championships is completely different. The French National team is always ambitious, but in 2026 everything seems to be coming together; they have found a new leader in Paul Seixas, and the reigning champion is most likely absent.
"The French team has ambitions for the championships," replied Thomas Voeckler. "If you remove the rider who wins everything, logically you have a better chance of winning. Is it better? No, because the best riders have to compete against each other. We don't know if he will be present at the World Championships."
"He's not one bit happy about Pogacar's crash, but..."
The former yellow jersey wearer then elaborated on how it's unclear where the new situation is actually of advantage to the 19-year-old Seixas: "I haven't spoken to Paul Seixas since the crash. Obviously, at the World Championships, with the elevation gains, you don't race the same way with or without Pogacar. When Pogacar is there, we try to follow, even if that's not Paul's mindset, as you saw at Liège-Bastogne-Liège where he tried to win."
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"I don't want to speak for him, but I don't think he's happy about Pogacar's crash. Let me put things into perspective: I'm not going to say we don't have ambitions at the World Championships, but if you're looking for the closest contenders, you have to look to Belgium," Voeckler concluded, pointing at Remco Evenepoel as the new man to beat.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- I was poking Mou(se)! If you can't see the sarcasm then that's on you ! There was no ill will pointed at Tadeg and his crash. Next time try reading the content instead of overreacting!frieders331-08-2026
- He's still crying in his spilled milk over Pogi not being able to win!frieders331-08-2026
- "... and with a seventh pending next month..." Unfortunate timing of this post during yesterday's stage.typurc31-08-2026
- So Pidcock wins the race and the story is about VDP the loser in 32nd place . Not really bias journalism .Come on at least give Tom the creditpaultryan200231-08-2026
- A lot of people claim to be experts but are nothing much (e.g Thijs Zonneveld). But this chap really is an expert.
Rafionain-Glas30-08-2026 - For the past 2 years, all I read from cycling "experts" is "pogi shouldn't do this", "pogi shouldn't do that", "it's too dangerous, he shouldn't do that ride", "it's too soon, he shouldn't go there", "he shouldn't try both races in the same year", etc etc etc. how about a bit of silence from the experts?! it's funny, the only guy that somehow supported him was armstrong: "he'll be back. he knows the record."guster30-08-2026
- I suspect he was chatting with his AI about how, in hindsight, with Pogačar's crash, had Seixas come to the Vuelta he could have won. He then asked it to write the article and it hallucinated over the hypothetical he provided earlier in the chatRafionain-Glas30-08-2026
- Very good points and concerns you mention, it is well taken.. Since I have no acces to the CT images already available I describe likely scenarios. To secure that the non-dislocated C7 fracturure heals unproblematic serial CT images will be performed frequently A theoretic but statistically unlikely problem, could be if the fracture involved the canal where the C7 nerve root departs, and more repair bone is generated that compress the nerve. That is very unlikely and can be easily solved by surgery. Tadej is so beloved, not only because he is the undisputed best rider, but also because he is humid, generous and humuoristic and boyish positive and competitive. guy My guess he will be back as strong as ever in the 2027 season. His worst enemy could be himself if he does not take the needed time to recover, but hopefully he will listen to independant sane medical advisors.Jakob30-08-2026
- A profoundly touching moment from a true champion. Pure heart and absolute class, Pidders.anonymouscyclist30-08-2026
- I think the only way for van der Poel to win it is to skip the Tour and race lots of MTB, splitting his season into classics, MTB and CX. That way he'd start from the front row.Rafionain-Glas30-08-2026
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