Tadej Pogacar Recounts Grueling Recovery from Severe Crash, Eyes UAE Tour Return and Praises 'Special Talent' Isaac del Toro

Tadej Pogacar is currently in the recovery phase following a severe crash at the Vuelta a Espana, which marked a difficult end to his dominant season. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider sustained significant injuries in a crash on Stage 8 in Valencia in late August, requiring surgery for a broken collarbone, three fractured vertebrae, and a concussion. Pogacar has since expressed gratitude for being alive after the incident, which prevented him from defending his world and European titles. Two and a half months later, the 28-year-old is prioritizing his rehabilitation.

"I'm feeling better, thank you," Pogacar told The National regarding his recovery. "It was a difficult moment, especially because everything happened so suddenly and the season ended in a way I really didn't expect. The first weeks were not easy, but I've had great support from the medical team, my family and everyone around me. The most important thing has been to be patient and follow the recovery process properly. With injuries like these, you can't just look at how you feel on one particular day and decide everything is fine. You have to respect the advice of the doctors and give your body the time it needs."

Pogacar admitted, "Of course, I miss racing, but I'm trying to take the positives from having a little more time at home. Now I'm getting back to my normal routine and doing what I love."

Pogacar was participating in La Vuelta for the second time, having previously finished third overall in his Grand Tour debut in 2019. He aimed to complete the set of cycling's 'Big Three' Grand Tours, having already won the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. Pogacar had been in excellent form leading up to the race, having recently secured a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title in Paris. This was only his second attempt at a Grand Tour double in the same season. In 2024, Pogacar won both the Giro and the Tour with a 34-day interval between them. This year, the gap was tighter, with only 27 days between the Tour de France finish in Paris and the Vuelta start in his adopted home of Monaco.

"I felt good going into the Vuelta," he stated when asked about the short turnaround. "I was excited. Starting in Monaco, on roads I know so well, made it even more special. It was a very different feeling from starting a Grand Tour somewhere new. Almost like going from your front door straight on to the start ramp. I was even able to pass by my house on the way home after the podium to see [his partner] Urska [Zigart]; that was nice."

Prior to the crash, Pogacar was on track for overall victory, having secured three stage wins, including a remarkable 50km solo effort in Andorra, which gave him a nearly four-minute lead after Stage 7. Although Pogacar could not achieve a Grand Tour clean sweep, he added other significant victories to his impressive record. After winning the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse on his first attempts, Pogacar has now won six of cycling's major week-long stage races, with only the Itzulia Basque Country remaining. In March, Pogacar secured a dramatic victory at the Milan–San Remo, despite sustaining cuts, torn shorts, and bike damage from a crash 32km from the finish. He engaged in a close battle with Tom Pidcock, ultimately winning by half a wheel.

"San Remo was an amazing day on the bike," Pogacar commented. "After the crash, the team did an incredible job helping me get back into the race, and from there I just tried to focus on what was still possible. The finale was really intense. Tom was super strong and neither of us was going to give anything away. When you fight like that all the way to the line, you really have to earn it. San Remo was a race I'd wanted to win for a long time, so to finally do it, especially after everything that happened during the day, made it even more special." He also needs to win the Paris Roubaix to complete a sweep of the five cycling Monuments, having finished second in this year's race after losing a sprint to Wout van Aert.

This year also saw Pogacar become a record-equalling five-time Tour de France champion, dominating his rivals and finishing more than six minutes ahead of Remco Evenepoel. His UAE Team Emirates-XRG colleague Isaac del Toro finished third.

Regarding Del Toro, Pogacar's fondest memory from the Tour was Del Toro's Stage 2 victory, which resulted in an unforgettable one-two for the Emirati team. Pogacar expressed pride in Del Toro's progress: "Sometimes the days I'm most proud of aren't necessarily the ones where I win. The day where Isaac took his win was amazing and it was a real team victory. To win the Tour, the team has to work really hard, and it’s not an easy task because you all need to be really switched on every day. That's what makes winning the Tour so satisfying. It's three weeks of work from so many people, riders and staff, not just the moments you see on the podium."

Pogacar described Del Toro as "a really special talent, but what I like most is his personality. He's a great guy to have around, always smiling, always bringing good energy to the group. We have a lot of fun together. On the bike, I think everyone can see how good he is already. He has a great future ahead of him, and it's nice to see him enjoying the racing and growing as a rider. I'm really happy for him."

Del Toro achieved one of his victories this season at the UAE Tour, an event Pogacar has won three times, most recently in 2025. Pogacar indicated the race's significance: "It’s a special race both for me personally and for our team and I've always enjoyed racing there. It’s one of our big goals as a team each year. We have a lot of support in the UAE, so it's always nice to be part of it. We still have to sit down and finalise the programme for next season, but it's definitely a race I'd be happy to return to."

Looking ahead, Pogacar stated, "After the way this year ended, I'm really looking forward to just being back in the peloton, racing with my teammates and enjoying all the different challenges throughout the year. First, I want to be healthy, have a good winter and start the season well. Then we'll see what opportunities come. I still love racing, and that's the most important thing."