Tadej Pogacar has been forced to withdraw from the Vuelta a Espana after a crash on stage nine, his UAE Team Emirates squad confirmed on Saturday.
Crash details
The Slovenian rider came down on the descent of the Alto de la Cabruñana, a category-two climb near the end of the 178km stage from Villaviciosa to the Lagos de Covadonga. He was attended by medical staff at the roadside before being taken to a local hospital for further checks.
Team statement
UAE Team Emirates said in a statement that Pogacar had suffered a fractured collarbone and would not start Sunday's stage. The team added that he was in good spirits and would return to Slovenia for treatment.
Impact on the race
Pogacar had been second overall, 1min 12sec behind race leader Ben O'Connor of Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale, and was widely regarded as the favourite for the overall title. His exit leaves the general classification wide open, with O'Connor now holding a substantial advantage over his remaining rivals.
