September was supposed to be a pretty good month for Tadej Pogačar and Urška Žigart. But now, it’s going to be very, very different.
Instead, the Slovenian cycling power couple are dealing with injuries, cancelled race plans and a very different trip to Montreal than either of them expected.
Pogačar, the reigning world champion, was forced to end his season after crashing at the Vuelta a España while wearing the race leader’s red jersey.
The crash looked like one of those horrible bits of bad luck that can happen on even the most straightforward days of a Grand Tour. Things were going great–he had the maillot rojo, with almost four minutes on Enric Mas. Hell, at that rate he could have been leading by 15 by the time the race finished up in Granada.
He suffered a broken collarbone and a fracture to his C5 vertebra, ending his bid for a third consecutive world title in Montreal. Spaniard Enric Mas would inherit the lead in Spain and hold onto it for the remainder of the race.
And now, Žigart
As far as Montreal goes, Žigart was supposed to be there too.
Now she will also be missing the worlds after suffering another jaw fracture in a crash at the Faun Tour.
It has been a particularly rough stretch for the pair.
Pogačar may still come to Montreal
Pogačar won’t be defending his rainbow jersey on the Montreal course, but it sounds like he still may come make the trip to Canada.
Slovenian national team coach Uroš Murn told Wielerflits that Pogačar intends to arrive during the worlds and stay through the end of the championships.
So instead of racing, he’ll be supporting his teammates, including Primož Roglič and Jan Tratnik.
And, at least until her latest crash, he was also going to be there cheering for Žigart.
Pogačar gave fans a little update on Instagram. The other good news is he is back on the trainer, getting back to work. It seemed like a gentle ride, but great to see one of the greatest, if not the greatest, male cyclists of all time on his bike.
“Not quite how we planned to spend September. At least we have good company,” the multiple Grand Tour champion posted. “A big thank you to our teams, families, friends and all of you for the amazing support. We are very grateful.”
That pretty much sums it up.
A brutal run of crashes for Žigart
Žigart’s latest injury is a real bummer. The former national champ fought her way back into good form after another major crash earlier this year.
The 29-year-old broke her jaw at the Tour de Suisse in June after hitting a speed bump in a particularly nasty part of the course and going over the bars. It was a very scary moment, thankfully her injuries weren’t worse.
She returned to racing and looked strong again at the Faun Tour. She was sitting third overall before another crash ended her race.
After the crash, her team, AG Insurance-Soudal, confirmed the extent of the damage.
“Following her crash, further examinations have revealed a new fracture of the jaw. With it being a repeated fracture, her 2026 season is likely to come to an early end,” the team said.
That would keep Žigart out of Slovenia’s world championship road race on Sept. 26.
It’s also a shame because, just like her partner Pogi, the Montreal course should have suited her. Žigart is a strong climber and she would definitely have been in the mix.
Instead, she and Pogačar could both find themselves watching from the sidelines.
Cycling, man, it certainly has its ups and downs. But sometimes those downs can create important moments when riders get back on top again.