UAE Team Emirates: 'Too early to talk Tour de France' after Pogacar breaks wrist in fall

UAE Team Emirates director Mauro Gianetti said it was "too early to speak about the Tour de France" after star rider Tadej Pogacar suffered a broken wrist during Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege cycling classic.

Pogacar, 22, has been in irrepressible form this season, the Slovenian registering 12 victories including significant wins in the Paris-Nice, Tour of Flanders, Vuelta a Andalucia, Amstel Gold Race, and La Fleche Wallonne.

The two-time Tour de France champion was once again favourite to add to his haul in Belgium on Sunday, but a crash 85km into the race saw him withdraw, and the team doctor confirmed Pogacar had been taken to a hospital in Genk to undergo scans and surgery.

"[Pogacar] suffered fractures to the left scaphoid and lunate bones," Dr Adrian Rotunno, UAE Team Emirates medical director, said. "The scaphoid will require surgery which he will undergo this afternoon with a specialist hand surgeon here in Genk."

A few hours later, Dr Rotunno added: "The surgery on [Pogacar]'s scaphoid was successful and he will travel home tomorrow for recovery and rehabilitation."

Pogacar, the world's top-ranked road cyclist, is not scheduled to race again until the Tour de France at the start of July, although his wrist injury will raise concerns about his preparation.

Medical Update : Dr.Adrian Rotunno (Medical Director): "The surgery on @TamauPogi 's scaphoid was successful and he will travel home tomorrow for recovery and rehabilitation ."Get well soon Tadej