Tadej Pogačar: A Close Call at the Tour de France

Tadej Pogačar, the top contender in the Tour de France, had a scary moment during stage 11. He crashed hard in the last 5 kilometers but walked away with just a few scrapes. His team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, quickly checked him out and confirmed he was okay, even though he was a bit banged up. The crash happened when the group of top riders was speeding towards the finish. Pogačar's front wheel got tangled with Tobias Halland Johannessen's, sending Pogačar flying into the side of the road. He was lucky to avoid serious injury, but he was upset about the timing. The next day's stage included a tough climb, and this crash could affect his performance. Johannessen, who rides for Uno-X Mobility, apologized right away. He said it was an accident and that he didn't mean to cause the crash. The whole group of riders waited for Pogačar, which was a big deal because they could have raced ahead and gained time. Ben Healy, who was wearing the yellow jersey, and his team, EF Education-EasyPost, played a big role in making sure Pogačar didn't lose time. Pogačar thanked his competitors for their sportsmanship. He said it was a fair move, and he appreciated their support. His team also praised the other riders, saying it showed the spirit of fair play in cycling. Even though the crash wasn't ideal, Pogačar said he was ready for the next big challenge: a tough climb the following day. He knew he might not be at his best after the crash, but he was determined to give it his all. Cycling is a tough sport, and crashes happen. But what matters is how everyone reacts. In this case, the riders showed respect and fairness, which is what makes the sport great.