Leader Pogacar out of Vuelta after Stage 8 crash

XERACO, Spain -- Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar has pulled out of the Spanish Vuelta after crashing during the eighth stage of the race.

The Slovenian held a big lead in the race but got caught in a crash near the finish. He tried to get back on his bike but could not carry on and walked to an ambulance. Race organizers confirmed he pulled out of the race.

The UAE Team Emirates leader was trying to become the ninth male rider to win all three Grand Tour races. Pogacar won the Tour de France for a third straight time and a record-tying fifth overall in July, and he claimed the Giro d'Italia win in 2024. He had not raced in the Vuelta since making his Grand Tour debut at the event in 2019.

TV footage showed that Pogacar appeared to have hurt his left arm and shoulder.

Pogacar had a lead of 3 minutes, 50 minutes over Enric Mas of Movistar before Saturday's stage, which did not feature any major difficulty and offered sprinters a chance to shine along a flat 171-kilometer (106-mile) route from Puçol to Xeraco.