Tadej Pogacar: Debate Heats Up After the Slovenian Champion’s Surprising Move
The images of the crash at the Vuelta and the subsequent surgery had led many to believe that his season would end early, with little room for debate. Instead, however, a debate has erupted in recent hours surrounding Tadej Pogacar over a move that has surprised fans and industry insiders alike.
The Slovenian star, in fact, is said to have seriously considered the idea of competing in the European Championships scheduled to take place in his home country from October 2 to 7, even though it has been just over a month since he suffered a comminuted fracture of his clavicle and a stable fracture of his C7 vertebra. The prospect of a lightning-fast return to racing has inevitably sparked debate: Pogacar reportedly consulted with the very surgeon who operated on him after his crash at the Vuelta, even receiving a preliminary green light to return to competition immediately.
In the end, a cautious approach seems to have prevailed, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG team principal Mauro Gianetti confirmed Pogacar’s determination in an interview with *La Gazzetta dello Sport*: “He has the desire, but we have to face the reality of the situation. It’s not possible—we can’t rush things. His desire is understandable; he was the driving force behind organizing a continental race in Slovenia, thanks to his outstanding results.”
The incident has reignited the debate surrounding the Slovenian’s extraordinary competitiveness. Even at a delicate moment in his career—recovering from what is considered the first truly serious accident of his professional career—Pogacar is said to have sought every possible opportunity to return to racing as soon as possible.
For now, however, reality demands patience. The Slovenian national team will have to do without its star rider, who will continue his recovery with the goal of returning to competition in 2027. This outlook does not diminish the impression left by this situation: even in the face of the first major setback of his career, Pogacar has tried to find a way to be there.
