Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar will not race again this season following injuries sustained during the Vuelta a Espana. The 27-year-old suffered a neck fracture along with other serious injuries after crashing on the race's eighth stage.

Pogacar's fall occurred while he was leading the race, forcing him to undergo surgery for a broken collarbone, in addition to dealing with a concussion and multiple abrasions. As a result, he will miss the opportunity to defend his title at the upcoming World Championships in Montreal later this month.

In his statement, Pogacar expressed his disappointment:

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. Now I'll focus on getting healthy, supporting the guys from home, and coming back next year ready for what's ahead.

Additionally, Pogacar was scheduled to defend his title at the European Championships in Ljubljana and compete in Il Lombardia, the season's final one-day Monument race.

UAE Team Emirates-XRG confirmed that Pogacar's decision to sit out the remainder of the season aims to ensure full recovery without a strict timeline for his return. The team also announced that he has agreed to extend his contract for two more years, lasting until 2032.