Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar shares hospital photo after frightening crash

Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar shared a hospital photo on Sunday, wearing a neck brace and with bandages on his hand and face, following a violent crash during the Spanish Vuelta. Accompanying the Instagram post was a rendition of "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees. The Slovenian cyclist was anticipating surgery to address his concussive injury and broken collarbone after losing control of his bike upon encountering a rolling stone on the road.

This crash forced Pogačar to abandon the Vuelta, marking his first-ever Grand Tour withdrawal. Despite his lead, Pogačar, representing UAE Team Emirates, had never finished lower than third in a Grand Tour before. The Vuelta, a three-week race concluding in Granada on September 13, featured a ninth stage on the day of the crash.