BERLIN, Sept 5 (Bernama-dpa) -- Cycling star Tadej Pogačar has confirmed that he will not return to competition for the remainder of the 2026 season following his crash at the Vuelta a España, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
“Of course, this isn't the way I wanted my season to finish. Right now, the most important thing is to recover properly and give my body the time it needs. It has been a season with many special moments and I’m proud of what we achieved together,” he said in a team statement on Saturday.
Pogačar suffered fractures to his collarbone and cervical fracture after crashing during the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España on August 29.
The race in Spain is the only Gand Tour missing from his trophy cabinet.
Due to his injuries, the Slovenian will miss the world championships in Montreal later this month and will be unable to defend his road race title.
The five-time Tour de France champion also announced that he has extended his contract with the UAE Team Emirates until 2032.
“From the beginning, this team has felt like home for me. We have grown together over the years and shared some incredible moments, so I’m very happy to extend my contract until 2032,” he said.
“There is still a lot I want to achieve in this sport and I believe this is the right place to do it. I’m very grateful for the trust the team has shown in me and excited about what we can continue to build together.”
Team principal Mauro Gianetti added: “Tadej has been central to the journey and development of this team, and we are extremely proud that this relationship will continue through 2032.”
-- BERNAMA-dpa