Brussels –
Two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar was lucky to escape a weekend crash at Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Monday with only a broken left wrist, the biggest race of cycling this year. He said he would begin recovery in the hope that he would be ready for
A day after his team said he underwent a “successful” surgery in Belgium, Pogacar tried to focus on the bright side in a message posted on social networks, considering the “crazy crash that happened”. bottom.
Sunday’s accident during cycling’s oldest classic race wasn’t shown on television, but UAE Team Emirates’ sporting director Pogacar said it happened at a very high speed after the race.
Mauro Gianetti said Pogacar crashed into the road after Mikkel Honore had two punctures in front of him.
“A slight descent, very fast, very fast and he couldn’t avoid a crash,” Jannetty said at the finish.
In his message, Pogacar wished Honore, who “fell much harder than I did,” the best recovery.
Pogacar, who lives in Monaco, was due to return home on Monday, according to the team. UAE Team Emirates said the surgery to repair a fractured navicular bone in his left wrist went well and the 24-year-old Slovenian rider will begin “recovery and rehabilitation”.
Pogacar was treated by a hand surgeon at a hospital in Genk shortly after the crash.
UAE Team Emirates did not disclose how long he will be out and whether the injury will affect his preparations for the Tour de France, which starts in July.
“It’s too early to say right now,” Jannetty said.
After victories at Amstel Gold and Flèce Wallonne, Pogacar sought to become the third male rider to score a hat-trick in the Ardennes Classic, but had to give up after 85 km (53 mi). . The race was won by world champion Remco his Ebenepol. He displayed an impressive attack and won cycling’s oldest classic in his second straight solo effort.
Prior to his accident, Pogacar had been unruly for all reasons this year, even dominating the field in the Tour of Flanders.
His first win at the Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday marked his sixth race win of 2023. This follows his six stage wins at the week-long Paris-Nice race and the Andalusia Tour race.
Pogacar had planned to stop racing after Liege-Bastogne-Liege recovered and had no plans to compete in the Giro d’Italia starting May 6. His next big target is the Tour. . Last year he was dethroned by Jonas Bingegaard.
The tour starts in the Spanish city of Bilbao on July 1st.
