Why Tadej Pogačar Canceled His Isola 2000 Altitude Camp

Tadej Pogačar's final preparations for the 2026 Tour de France took an unexpected turn in late June when he scrapped his planned altitude block at Isola 2000 — not because of injury or form, but to be with his partner Urška Žigart after a terrifying crash at the Tour de Suisse Women. Here is the full story of what happened, what injuries Žigart sustained, what Pogačar has said about his disrupted build-up, and the secret personal best he set during his May training camp.

Why Pogačar Canceled the Isola 2000 Altitude Camp

Pogačar was scheduled to join his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates at Isola 2000 in the southern French Alps for a final altitude block immediately after his victory at the Tour de Suisse. Instead, he returned home to Monaco and put the camp on hold — a decision driven entirely by family priorities .

According to multiple sources, the four-time Tour winner wanted to be at Žigart's side during her recovery after her severe crash on June 18 . As of June 23–24, 2026, the camp remained uncertain, and Pogačar had not confirmed whether he would still go . His team stated that his plans for that week were "still to be confirmed" .

Urška Žigart's Crash and Injuries

The crash occurred on Stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse Women on June 18, 2026, during the final kilometre of the stage in Locarno . Žigart lost control of her bike while navigating a speed bump (road hump) at high speed, hit the asphalt headfirst, and slid across the road . She was attended to immediately by race medical staff and taken to hospital.

Her team, AG Insurance-Soudal, confirmed in an official medical update that she sustained a fractured jaw and abrasions to her face, with no other injuries detected during hospital examinations . Some reports also noted that several teeth were knocked out . The CPA Women's union later called for a "substantial review" of road surfaces in race finales after the incident .

What Pogačar Said About His Disrupted Preparations and Form

Speaking after returning from the Tour de Suisse, Pogačar acknowledged the disruption caused by Žigart's crash, saying his final altitude camp was uncertain and that his family situation was taking priority . He told reporters: "I still need to decide. Now that Urška has to recover, our plans have been thrown into some disarray. The most important thing is that we can spend a bit of…"

On his form, however, Pogačar was notably confident. He said he is "stronger than ever" and that his shape has taken a clear step forward compared to this point last year . Despite the interrupted final build-up, he described feeling very good physically .

The Secret Personal Best at Sierra Nevada

During his May altitude training camp at Sierra Nevada, Pogačar revealed that he unofficially repeated a fast-known climb that he thought he'd never beat — and was "clearly faster than last year" . He stated: "I still remember thinking: wow, I don't think I'll ever be able to go faster. This year, at the end of the training camp, just for fun, I decided to give it another try. In the end, I was clearly faster than last year."

The exact climb and time were not publicly detailed in available sources, but the claim serves as his key benchmark that his fitness level is higher than in 2025 .