After getting back on the bike and training on rollers at his Monaco home, Tadej Pogačar is now back on the open road and at training camp with his UAE Team Emirates teammates as he prepares for the Tour de France.
The Slovenian has faced a lengthy road to recovery following his crash at April's Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he suffered a fractured wrist. On Friday he joined up with his team for the first time in Sierra Nevada.
On Sunday, Pogačar gave an update on his progress on Instagram, posting a photo of himself out riding on the road as well as a video riding a time trial bike, both with the strapping still on his injured wrist.
"Being back on the road feels…" he wrote, posting two OK emojis. "Recap of a few weeks work done at home. Many hours of rehab sessions and more hours on the indoor trainer (MyWhoosh).
"But with plenty of fun in between. Thanks to everyone for all the support. Now to join the guys at altitude camp."
Pogačar has linked up with a large chunk of the UAE Team Emirates squad in Sierra Nevada in Spain, with the team confirming to Cyclingnews that 13 of their riders are currently at altitude camp there.
The team has come together ahead of the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse in mid-June, though Pogačar won't ride either race ahead of the Tour de France. He was scheduled for the Tour de Slovenia, the race he won in 2021 and 2022, though his participation in this year's race has yet to be confirmed in light of his injury.
Pogačar, whose girlfriend Jayco-AlUla rider Urška Zigart is with him in Spain, is currently largely training separately from his teammates, UAE confirmed.
Others at the camp – including his Tour de France lieutenants Rafał Majka and Adam Yates – are ramping up for the June stage races, though Pogačar will stay on in Spain as other riders jet off to France and Switzerland next month.
Pogačar's main rival at the Tour, reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard, is also working in the Sierra Nevada at the moment as part of a nine-strong Jumbo-Visma training camp which also includes Wout van Aert, Tiesj Benoot, Dylan van Baarle, Wilco Kelderman, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Christophe Laporte, and Steven Kruijswijk.
The group has spent much of May at altitude in the southern Spanish mountains, putting in some huge rides – 244km with 5,328 metres of climbing – along the way.
Vingegaard hasn't raced since Itzulia Basque Country in early April, though he'll face off against Yates, David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Enric Mas (Movistar) and more at the Dauphiné, which starts on June 4.
