Pogacar set for ‘major surgery’ as World Championships hopes fade

Mauro Gianetti admitted he was “really scared” after seeing Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) crash out of the Vuelta a España, as the UAE boss provided an update on the world champion’s condition and his prospects of returning this season.  

Speaking on RMC’s Bartoli Time on Sunday, the UAE boss described his feelings after seeing the red jersey crash out of the Vuelta 32km from the finish of stage 8. Data from Strava indicated that Pogačar hit the tarmac at a speed of 66.5km/h.

"I was really scared, because when you see riders go down, you know the speeds are so high that every time they crash, they get hurt,” explained Gianetti.

“When I saw him get back up and want to resume the race, I was somewhat relieved. I told myself: 'Okay, he’s on his feet, he’s walking, and he wants to continue.' It was clear he couldn't, but we were frightened."

Despite being diagnosed with a concussion, a displaced fracture of his left collarbone and a stable C7 cervical fracture, Gianetti offered a reassuring update on the world champion’s condition and morale.

On Sunday, Pogačar posted a selfie in hospital on his Instagram story, soundtracked by the Bee Gees’ ‘Stayin Alive,’ indicating his spirits are still good considering the severity of the incident.

"Tadej is doing well considering the circumstances, because the impact was violent. To have to abandon the Vuelta due to a crash, at a spot and a moment where you least expect it," said Gianetti.

“He suffered a fairly significant concussion, but today he is doing well and is in good spirits; despite everything, he says it could have been worse."

Pogačar is expected to undergo surgery on his collarbone on Tuesday or Wednesday, with the timing dependent on the concussion protocol.

"If all goes well, he can have surgery on his collarbone on Tuesday; the fracture is displaced, so it’s a significant operation. It will be possible on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on his recovery from the concussion,” explained Gianetti.

Where that leaves Pogačar in terms of his quest to win a third successive rainbow jersey remains to be seen.

While many have speculated that the world champion will not be able to ride the road race on September 27 in Montréal, Canada, members of Pogačar’s entourage, including his agent Alex Carera, have not entirely ruled out the Worlds.

Gianetti is also not prepared to completely rule him out yet, but admitted that the worlds are now an unlikely goal.

“Yes, the timeframe is very short; he’s still in the hospital and hasn't had the surgery yet. Of course, recovering in time for the World Championships doesn't seem likely,” he said.

“But we’ll see how things progress over the next few days. The collarbone fracture is quite bad, it requires major surgery, so that doesn't help matters."

“Now isn't the time to make decisions based on emotion; we need to wait a few days.”