A heavy crash 32 kilometres from the finish
Tadej Pogacar pulled out of the Tour of Spain this afternoon. The Slovenian came down hard in the middle of the bunch, 32 kilometres from the line, during stage eight between Puçol and Xeraco.
The crash came shortly after the intermediate sprint at Simat de Valldigna, on the road to Puerto de Barx. Helicopter footage shows the red jersey suddenly drift right, clip a rider beside him and slam into the deck. The exact reason for the move is not clear on the broadcast.
Pogacar remained seated on the road for several minutes, surrounded by race doctors and the UAE Team Emirates-XRG staff. He has deep cuts to his left shoulder and the left side of his face. He got back to his feet, removed his helmet, then climbed into an ambulance, with his arm in a sling and his shoulder heavily bandaged. He is heading to hospital for checks. The full extent of the injuries is still unknown.
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His first Grand Tour withdrawal
Pogacar had worn red since the opening time trial in Monaco. He had already raised his arms three times in this Vuelta, on stages one, four and six. His lead in the general classification looked out of reach.
This is his first withdrawal in a Grand Tour. His previous DNF in any race came at Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2023. Three full seasons without quitting a race before the finish. Not bad for a sport that chews people up.
Only yesterday, he was brushing off talk about his failed attack at Valdelinares. Twenty-four hours later, his Vuelta is over on Spanish tarmac.
Enric Mas takes charge
The stage win went to Bryan Coquard, who beat Mads Pedersen and Jordi Meeus in the sprint. The bunch had caught lone escapee Sinuhe Fernandez shortly before the finish after he went clear from the gun and spent much of the day over five minutes ahead.
Enric Mas takes over the red jersey. The Movistar rider leads Primoz Roglic by one minute, with Roglic also coming down earlier in the day in a crash that appeared to leave no obvious damage. The mountains arrive on Sunday, and the general classification has suddenly been blown wide open.
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