One of the biggest stars in world cycling, Tadej Pogačar, was much more seriously injured after his crash at the Vuelta a España on August 29 than initially reported. The Slovenian, who is a four-time Tour de France champion, revealed to The Athletic that in addition to a concussion and a broken collarbone, he also suffered three broken vertebrae – C7, T1 and T2.
“When I found out I had three broken vertebrae, I was just happy to be alive and to be able to stand on my feet at all“, admitted Pogačar.
The first two weeks after the accident were particularly difficult, both mentally and physically. He says he fell into a state of depression, could not bathe without help and felt very dizzy even when he stood up. A gradual return to training and physiotherapy helped him overcome the most difficult period.
Today, the Slovenian is cycling, running and swimming again, but he knows that he has to be extremely careful. “If I fall off my bike again now, the consequences could be very serious“, he warns.
The accident has made him insist on greater safety in professional cycling. Pogačar called on organizers to pay more attention to the routes, especially in the last 500 meters of the stages, and to avoid holes, bumps and dangerous obstacles.
“Instead of measuring socks and handlebar width, more attention should be paid to the real dangers on the roads,“ said the champion.