Damage assessment: Besides Tadej Pogačar, these riders also crashed on stage 8 of the Vuelta a España
CyclingSaturday, 29 August 2026 at 21:57
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Follow us on GoogleTadej Pogacar was without a doubt the biggest and most significant victim of the wave of crashes in Stage 8 of the Vuelta a España. But many more riders went down during the stage, which ultimately ended in a bunch sprint. By late evening, the extent of the damage had been assessed for most of the riders. Here’s an overview:
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Tadej Pogačar - UAE Emirates-XRG
Pogačar’s medical report was not encouraging: a concussion, a displaced fracture of the left collarbone, a stable C7 vertebral fracture, and multiple abrasions. Due to the concussion, Pogačar will not undergo surgery on his collarbone for the time being, which means his season appears to be over.
Primož Roglič and Luke Tuckwell - Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
During the neutralization zone of the eighth stage, Primož Roglič was suddenly involved in a crash, along with teammate Luke Tuckwell. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe reported that both climbers escaped with scrapes. Tuckwell’s scrapes are quite severe, however, so it remains to be seen whether he’ll be at the start of Stage 9 on Sunday.
Luke Tuckwell
Ben Tulett and Sepp Kuss - Visma | Lease a Bike
In the yellow-and-black group, Ben Tulett and Sepp Kuss were involved in Pogacar’s crash. Kuss was able to continue quickly despite sustaining minor injuries, but the British climber didn’t cross the finish line until more than 9 minutes behind the winner. Tulett, like Pogacar, hit the ground hard and is suffering from abrasions on his back, HLN reports. A question mark appears next to his name for Stage 9.
Sander De Pestel - Decathlon CMA CGM
The Belgian was also one of the riders involved in the crash during the neutralization zone, but he got away with just a bruise on his left ankle.
Diego Uriarte - Equipo Kern Pharma
The second setback of the neutralization section befell Uriarte, who still had plans for this stage on behalf of Equipo Kern Pharma. According to the organization’s medical report, the climber broke a rib and was forced to withdraw.
Stan Van Tricht - NSN
Another Belgian rider was in the breakaway during the early stages of the stage. And for Van Tricht, that meant the end of the Vuelta a España. No fractures were reported, but further examination is planned. At the time of writing, only abrasions have been reported.
Roland Thalmann - Tudor
The images of the Swiss man spoke for themselves: his shirt was completely torn open, and he had numerous scrapes. He did manage to come inside, but he’ll have a tough time over the next few days.
Clément Alleno - Burgos BH
The Frenchman on the Spanish team crossed the finish line with one leg draped over his bike, pushed by a teammate. There was a wound visible on his shin, but it’s also possible that he simply couldn’t pedal anymore.
Mattia Gaffuri - Picnic PostNL
We didn't actually see the Italian rider from Picnic PostNL fall, but the team's report was clear: he had to withdraw. He was reportedly alone at the time, and the scrapes and cuts prevented Gaffuri from continuing. The doctor will conduct further examinations.
Simon Dalby and Magnus Cort - Uno-X Mobility
The two Danes from the Norwegian team hit the ground hard and didn't escape unscathed. Simon Dalby suffered a bruised knee but was able to continue after receiving medical treatment. Magnus Cort said at the finish: “I’ve slightly strained my hip flexor, but hopefully it won’t get worse when it gets cold. I think I’ll be fine,” he told TV2.
Lars Craps and Steffen De Schuyteneer - Lotto-Intermarché
The Belgian team wasn’t spared from the crashes either. Lars Craps was involved in the crash with Pogacar and, according to the team, had a rough time for a moment. In the end, he got away with just a few scrapes and was able to ride to the finish. There he met up with teammate De Schuyteneer, who had taken a hard fall in the run-up to the sprint. He sustained several scrapes, but no further medical examination was necessary after the finish.
Kaden Groves and Francesco Busatto - Alpecin-Premier Tech
Finally, there was a Belgian team, with two riders in contention in the final kilometer. Sprinter Kaden Groves fell on his butt and suffered abrasions. Busatto was worse off and crossed the finish line in a lot of pain. He fell on his stomach and is also a question mark for the ninth stage.
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Not sure I buy the “nobody’s fault” line entirely. Course safety has to be better. A world champ face-planting on a stray stone isn’t just bad luck. Where were the motos and commissaires?julien29-08-2026
- - Matxin handled that interview with class. No blame game, just honesty. Cycling’s brutal — one second you’re flying, next you’re in an ambulance. Ánimo Tadej, vuelve fuerte.velodromevirtuoso129-08-2026
- - Quick question: when they said a rock on the road caused it near the finish, isn’t the run-in supposed to be swept by organisers? How common is that this late in a stage?cadencekingm29-08-2026
- - Gutted for Pogi. Shoulder injuries can be tricky — if it’s AC joint or collarbone, Worlds might be tight. Fingers crossed it’s just heavy contusions and those eyebrow stitches are minor.jeremya29-08-2026
- - Brutal day. You could see the whole UAE train soft-pedalling after the crash — pure respect to ride in as a group behind Coquard by 11’. Says a lot about team unity.samanthak29-08-2026
- - Love Brennan’s candour though. Two stage wins already, he’s earned the right to speak. Reset, recover, and pick a cleaner run-in later in the week. Go on lad!cadencekingm29-08-2026
- - Bit rich to call others “superheroes” when you also dive for gaps in sprints. Feels like excuses after missing the wheel. Own the positioning error—Laporte and WvA can’t do everything.patriciaw29-08-2026
- - Pogacar down, DNFs before the start, pile-up in the last km… safety protocols need a look. Barriers and road furniture on these Spanish urban finishes are brutal. UCI y la organización, por favor, más seguridad.bikebuffj29-08-2026
- - Can someone explain what “pedaling at 160 watts” means in this context? Is that like super easy pace for these guys? Trying to understand why there were still so many crashes if it was “easy.”davidm29-08-2026
- - Wild stage. Brennan’s quotes hit hard but he’s not wrong—finale was a bowling alley. Tenth after all that chaos isn’t catastrophic, but Visma’s train never properly formed once he lost Laporte’s wheel.sprocketspiny29-08-2026
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