Cycling-Vuelta leader Pogacar forced to abandon after crash in stage eight

Vuelta a Espana leader Tadej ​Pogacar abandoned the race ‌on Saturday ​after a crash during stage eight left the five-time Tour de France winner with blood on his ‌face and an injured shoulder.

Slovenian Pogacar, who has been wearing the red jersey since winning the first stage, went down in the peloton with just over 30 ‌kilometres left in the ride from Pucol to Xeraco. The 27-year-old tried to ‌get back on his bike after receiving medical attention, but was unable to resume the ride. He later walked into an ambulance.

"Sadly Tadej Pogacar has been forced out... following a ⁠crash on ​stage eight," UAE ⁠Team Emirates-XRG posted on X, confirming their rider's withdrawal. Pogacar, who won his fifth Tour de France ⁠last month and had won the Giro d'Italia in 2024, was aiming for his ​first overall victory in the Vuelta to become the ninth rider to ⁠win all three European Grand Tours.

He began the stage with a lead of three minutes ⁠and ​50 seconds over second-placed Enric Mas. Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) won the stage after several riders went down in another crash in the final kilometre. Mads Pedersen ⁠finished second while Jordi Meeus was third.

Mas (Movistar) took the red jersey, becoming the first ⁠Spaniard to ⁠lead the race since Jesus Herrada in 2018. Felix Gall is second overall, a minute and 11 seconds behind Mas.