Slovenia's cycling superstar recovering after successful surgery
Tadej Pogačar has undergone successful surgery on his fractured left collarbone after a heavy crash that forced him to pull out of the Vuelta a Espana in Stage 8.
The five-time Tour de France winner had been leading the race as he crashed after hitting a rock, which ended his hopes of completing a full set of Grand Tour victories, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
He sustained a concussion, a broken collarbone, a stable C7 cervical fracture, and multiple lacerations to his face, arms and body.
Adriano Rotunno, medical director for Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG team, confirmed the procedure went ahead without complications.
"This afternoon, Tadej underwent successful surgery on his left clavicle after receiving the all-clear to proceed with the operation," Rotunno said.
"The procedure went well and he will remain in hospital for post-operative monitoring for a few days. When ready, Tadej will travel home to begin his recovery and rehabilitation under the supervision of the team's medical staff. We will continue to monitor his progress closely throughout the recovery process."
The operation was performed at the Hospital Universitari Dexeus in Barcelona by renowned traumatologist Dr Xavier Mir, a specialist well known for treating MotoGP riders.
Team officials had initially feared the procedure would need to be delayed due to the concussion Pogačar sustained in the fall, but medical staff cleared him for surgery earlier than expected.
The Slovenian rider's withdrawal from the Vuelta has cast significant doubt over his racing calendar for the remainder of the year.
Prior to the crash, his primary objectives for the late season included defending his rainbow jersey in the road race at the world championships in Montreal, Canada, on 27 September, competing in the European championships in his native Slovenia a week later, and appearing in the one-day classic Il Lombardia on 10 October.
After Pogačar's exit, Spaniard Enric Mas took the overall lead of the Vuelta, which continues today after a day off. Pogačar's compatriot Primož Roglič, a four-time Vuelta winner, sits second overall, 1:18 minutes down.
Photo: Instagram/tadejpogacar
