Tadej Pogacar, the renowned Slovenian cyclist and five-time Tour de France champion, has announced he will miss the upcoming World Road Cycling Championships scheduled for September 20-27. This decision comes in the wake of serious injuries he sustained from a crash during the Vuelta a Espana last Saturday.
The injuries include a concussion, fractures to his C7 cervical vertebrae, and an open clavicle fracture. These injuries have been classified as season-ending, forcing Pogacar to withdraw from the competition where he was expected to defend his title.
In a statement released by his team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Pogacar expressed his disappointment, saying, "Of course, this isn’t the way I wanted my season to finish. Right now, the most important thing is to recover properly and give my body the time it needs. It has been a season with many special moments, and I’m proud of what we achieved together. Now I’ll focus on getting healthy, supporting the guys from home, and coming back next year ready for what’s ahead.”
Medical updates indicate that Pogacar is making good progress following surgery, with his medical team expressing satisfaction with his recovery thus far. This positive news is crucial for the athlete, who was leading the Vuelta when the unfortunate incident occurred during the eighth stage of the event, as he aimed to join the elite group of cyclists who have won all three Grand Tours: the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a Espana.
His absence from the World Championships is particularly notable as Pogacar has previously won the last two world titles in the road race. However, he has yet to secure a podium finish in the time trial, an event that will also take place in Montreal. The championships are expected to feature a strong field, including Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel, who is poised to make history by becoming the first individual to win four consecutive time trial titles.
The U.S. cycling team for the championships will include notable athletes such as Kristen Faulkner, the 2024 Olympic women's road race champion, and Kate Courtney, the 2018 World mountain bike champion, who will be making her road worlds debut. Additionally, Taylor Knibb, an Olympic medalist in triathlon's mixed relay, is also part of the roster and is gearing up for the Ironman World Championships triathlon set for October 10 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
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