Tadej Pogačar has undergone successful surgery on his fractured left clavicle following a crash during Stage 8 of the 2026 Vuelta a España. UAE Team Emirates-XRG confirmed on August 31 that the procedure went well and that the Slovenian rider will remain in a Barcelona hospital for several days for post-operative monitoring.

The incident occurred with approximately 31km remaining in Stage 8 and involved Pogačar, his teammate Pavel Sivakov, as well as Oscar Onley and Ben Tulett. Pogačar initially attempted to remount his bike but was unable to continue. He was treated at the roadside before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

Medical examinations confirmed that Pogačar had suffered a concussion, a displaced fracture of the left clavicle, a stable C7 cervical fracture and multiple abrasions. The team reported no neurological damage or other major injuries. The clavicle surgery was initially delayed as a precaution because of his concussion and was performed after he received medical clearance.

Before his withdrawal, Pogačar was leading the general classification. He had won three of the six stages completed before his withdrawal and held an advantage of almost four minutes over Enric Mas. His withdrawal ended his bid to win the Vuelta a España and complete his career collection of all three Grand Tour titles.

UAE Team Emirates-XRG has not provided a timeline for Pogačar’s return to training or racing. Team principal Mauro Gianetti said the team would assess the remainder of the 2026 season based on Pogačar’s recovery and the outcome of the surgery. Before the operation, he also said that it would be difficult for Pogačar to recover in time for the World Championships, although no final decision had been made.

Pogačar was scheduled to defend his world title at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal, Canada, with the men’s elite road race scheduled for September 27. His participation will depend on his recovery progress and medical assessment.