Tadej Pogacar Back on the Bike After Vuelta Crash, Reveals

Tadej Pogacar is back on a bike, posting a video of himself training on a stationary bike less than three weeks after a season-ending crash at the Vuelta a España. The five-time Tour de France champion is focusing on a gradual recovery for the 2027 season after revealing the severe injuries he sustained in the fall.

The crash happened on August 29 during Stage 8 of the Vuelta a España in the Valencia region. At the time, Pogacar was wearing the red leader's jersey and was the clear favourite for the overall victory. The impact was significant. He required surgery on his collarbone and also suffered a stable fracture of his seventh cervical vertebra. Images shared by the rider showed extensive bruising on his face, a bandaged forehead, and stitches on his arm from the surgical procedure.

This combination of injuries forced his immediate withdrawal from the race he was dominating. It also ruled him out of defending his title at the road race World Championships in Montreal on September 27. The crash brought a premature and brutal end to a season where he was on the cusp of a historic Vuelta win.

Pogacar's return to the exercise bike is the first major step in a long rehabilitation process. In a video posted to his Instagram, he appeared smiling and focused during a controlled session, wearing UAE Team Emirates kit and surrounded by support staff. "Not quite what we had imagined September would be like," he wrote in the post. But he added, "It's just great to be back on the bike. Right now, I'm taking it step by step and slowly building up my training load with an eye toward next season."

His team is managing the process carefully to avoid any setbacks. Mauro Gianetti, the Swiss team principal of UAE Team Emirates, stressed the importance of a measured approach. "The most important thing right now is to let Tadej resume cycling gradually and in a controlled manner, without putting any unnecessary pressure on his recovery," Gianetti said. The goal is a full return for the 2027 campaign, with no specific races yet mentioned.

The incident is a stark reminder of the fine margins in professional cycling. Pogacar was in phenomenal form, having already won his fifth Tour de France earlier in the summer. His attempt to win the Tour and Vuelta in the same year was stopped violently short. His ability to return to the bike so soon, even in a limited capacity, is a positive sign for his physical and mental resilience.

And the focus now is entirely on rebuilding his strength. The fractured vertebra, while stable, demands extreme caution. His training load will be increased incrementally over the coming months. Fans and rivals will be watching closely to see when he can return to full outdoor training and eventually to competition. The road back is long, but the first pedal strokes have been taken.

• Pogacar crashed on August 29 while leading the Vuelta a España, suffering a broken collarbone and a fractured neck vertebra.
• He has returned to light training on a stationary bike, with his team emphasizing a gradual, controlled recovery.
• The injuries forced him to miss the World Championships in Montreal, where he was the two-time defending champion.
• His sights are set on a full return for the 2027 season, aiming to come back from one of the most serious setbacks of his career.