The season of Tadej Pogacar would have definitely come to an end. The Slovenian cyclist will not compete again in 2026 after the serious fall that forced him to abandon La Vuelta a España, an accident that caused him a clavicle fracture and another in the C7 vertebra and that now requires prioritizing a complete recovery. The official communication from UAE Team Emirates is still pending.
The season of the world champion actually ended on a road to Xeraco, although at that time it was still impossible to know all the consequences of the accident. That day the image was of Pogacar trying to continue, visibly in pain, before finally abandoning in an ambulance. As the days went by and once the real extent of the injuries was known, the scenario has completely changed: the Slovenian will not wear a number this year.
According to information published this Saturday by La Gazzetta dello Sport through journalist Ciro Scognamiglio, the season of the world champion can be considered concluded. Pogacar will not be at the World Championship in Montreal on September 27, nor will he compete in the European Championship on October 4 or be able to participate in Il Lombardia, scheduled for October 10, three of the major objectives that were still on his calendar.
“Sources confirmed to us that the 2026 season is over for the world champion. Only the official communication from the team is missing,” says Scognamiglio.
A clavicle fracture and an injury to the C7 vertebra
The decision was increasingly predictable considering the extent of the accident. Pogacar suffered a clavicle fracture and another in the C7 vertebra, injuries of sufficient significance to rule out any attempt to accelerate his return to competition in the coming weeks.
The UAE Team Emirates rider was operated on last Monday in Barcelona for the clavicle fracture. The operation went satisfactorily and Pogacar was able to leave the Hospital Universitari Dexeus the next day to begin a recovery in which the sporting timelines have definitely taken a back seat.
The goal now is for the Slovenian to fully recover before starting to think about the next season, avoiding taking unnecessary risks to return in time for any of the major events that were still left on the calendar.
Matxin had already left clues about his future
Within the UAE, no one seemed willing to hasten the return of their great star. Joxean Fernández Matxin had already been particularly emphatic when talking about Pogacar's immediate future. “I am not worried about the calendar, I am worried about the person. We need to be with Tadej,” the Spanish manager explained days ago.
His message went beyond determining whether the rider could arrive in time for a specific race. “If recovery is needed, he has perfectly earned it and we must give him all that respect and trust. We want him to be calm, to recover, and to be with his family,” Matxin added.
The words of the UAE manager anticipated the line that the team seems to have finally adopted: Pogacar's health is above any sporting objective. After a season of maximum demand and an accident of this nature, the Emirati team does not contemplate rushing the timeline to recover their leader ahead of time.
Goodbye to the World Championship, the European Championship, and his sixth consecutive Lombardia
The absence in Montreal also means giving up one of the major challenges that Pogacar had marked for this end of the season. The Slovenian aimed to conquer his third consecutive rainbow jersey, a feat that would have allowed him to equal a historical record that, in men's cycling, has only been achieved by Peter Sagan.
He will also not be able to participate in the European Championship nor pursue a new victory in one of the races that best summarize his dominance in the classics. Pogacar had accumulated five consecutive victories in Il Lombardia and had the possibility of further extending an extraordinary streak in the Italian race.
The accident thus forces him to abruptly give up his entire autumn calendar and turns recovery into the only objective for the coming months.
The fall that changed La Vuelta and ended his season
The fall on the way to Xeraco ended up having much greater consequences than could initially be appreciated. First, it completely changed La Vuelta, as Pogacar abandoned the race while wearing the red jersey and left a general classification that until that moment revolved around his figure completely open.
His withdrawal modified the scenario for Enric Mas, Primoz Roglic, Felix Gall and the rest of the contenders for the final victory, who suddenly found themselves facing a different race without the main favorite.
Now the second dimension of that accident appears. The fall not only ended Pogacar's participation in La Vuelta: it would also have put an end to his entire 2026 season. With only the official confirmation from UAE Team Emirates pending, the world champion is already focusing all his efforts on recovering and returning in full condition in 2027.