XERACO, Spain — Five-time Tour de France champion and overwhelming favorite Tadej Pogacar pulled out of the Spanish Vuelta after crashing during the eighth stage of the race on Saturday.
The Slovenian held a big lead in the race but got caught in a crash about 33 kilometers from the finish. He tried to get back on his bike but could not carry on and walked to an ambulance. Race organizers confirmed he pulled out of the race.
The UAE Team Emirates leader was trying to become the ninth male rider to win all three Grand Tour races. Pogacar won the Tour de France for a third straight time and a record-tying fifth overall in July, and he claimed the Giro d'Italia win in 2024. He had not raced in the Vuelta since making his Grand Tour debut at the event in 2019.
TV footage showed Pogacar appeared to have hurt his left arm and shoulder. Pogacar swerved to his right, into other cyclists, as he appeared to try to avoid something in the road. The Tour de France champion lost control and flew over his handlebars, hitting his head and shoulder.
Pogacar had a lead of 3 minutes, 50 minutes over Enric Mas of Movistar before Saturday's stage, which did not feature any major difficulty and offered sprinters a chance to shine along a flat 171-kilometer (106-mile) route from Puçol to Xeraco. Bryan Coquard, from the Cofidis team, claimed the stage win ahead of Mads Pedersen and Jordi Meeus.
Mas took the race leader's jersey from Pogacar, becoming the first Spanish rider to lead the race since Jesus Herrada in 2018. Felix Gall stood second overall, 1:11 off the pace, with Primoz Roglic in third place.
Pogacar's main rival, Jonas Vingegaard, is not competing in the Vuelta after crashing during this year's Tour de France.
The three-week race concludes in Granada on Sept. 13.
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