Tadej Pogacar says he is 'really sad' as Jonas Vingegaard forced to abandon 2026 Tour de France after nasty Stage 15 crash

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Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike) was forced to abandon the 2026 Tour de France after a crash involving several riders in the final 21km of Stage 15 on Sunday saw the Danish rider walk away with his arm in a sling.

'A sad sight' - Vingegaard abandons Tour after nasty Stage 15 crash

Video credit: TNT Sports

Vingegaard was second in the general classification (GC) standings at the time, behind Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), but will not take part in the final six stages of the Grand Tour, Visma announced on social media.

Vingegaard, the two-time Tour champion, was the first to slide as a group of riders exited a mini-roundabout with some cobbled dividers.

Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was among the other riders that went to ground, but the group were all able to get back up and take on the final stretch.

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Vingegaard, meanwhile, stayed down and appeared in severe discomfort, before television footage showed him slowly getting up to his feet, with his arm in a sling, as he was guided into an ambulance.

"This is a sad sight," TNT Sports' Adam Blythe said on commentary. "It’s really not nice to see. Normally, when a rider goes down like this, you normally see them get back up, but Jonas is still sat down on the floor. Fingers crossed he’s alright, but he doesn’t look like he's in a good way whatsoever."

Visma said in a statement that an update on Vingegaard's condition would be provided "as soon as more information becomes available".

Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) snatched a dramatic victory in Stage 15, holding off Pogacar and his UAE team-mate Isaac Del Toro in the final metres to clinch his first-ever road stage of the Tour.

And Pogacar, speaking after Sunday's stage, expressed his sympathy towards his great rival.

"It's really, really sad to see that Jonas is out," Pogacar said. "Since 2021, we were always battling out for the victory. Maybe at the beginning we didn't have the best relationship, but in the last two years, we became good respected rivals, competitors, but I also think friends.

"The Tour will not be the same without him."

The 29-year-old had yet to win a stage at this year's Tour but, ahead of Sunday, was second in the GC standings - and reiterated his desire to take the challenge to yellow jersey holder Pogacar in the final week of racing.

Speaking after winning Stage 15, Evenepoel said of Vingegaard's abandonment: "It's really bad news for himself, his team and for the race. It's something you never wish for anybody. After that you have to refocus and try to go for the maximum."

Watch: Evenepoel 'beats Pogacar at his own game' to snatch historic Stage 15 victory

Video credit: TNT Sports

Frans Maassen, Visma's sports director, told TNT Sports: "He is going to the hospital, it looks like he broke his collarbone, but I don't know. It's a shame because we wanted to go for the stage, you could see that, the guys were fighting for that.

"We wanted to win with Jonas. Jonas felt really, really strong, and wanted to go for it."

Ahead of Sunday's stage, Vingegaard revealed he and Pogacar were woken at 2am after an overnight anti-doping control official knocked at their door.

Pogacar said: "It got me thinking just before an interview today. We had doping control, he had it at two [o'clock] in the morning.

"It got me thinking your sleep is ruined, he could have been a little bit less concentrated. I don't blame that, but it could be a little bit connected. It's really sad to see him leave."

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