Tadej Pogacar quickly updated his fans with an Instagram story, directly from his hospital bed in Barcelona, where he was admitted last night following the crash that occurred 32 km from the finish line of the eighth stage. With an ironic grimace and a superstitious hand gesture, the Slovenian champion of UAE Emirates wanted to reassure everyone about his health conditions, showing that, despite the circumstances, his resilience remains strong.

In the story, Pogacar accompanied his photo with the chorus of "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees, emphasizing his fighting spirit: "And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive!", meaning "I'm alive". This mix of irony and resilience immediately captured the attention of his fans, who appreciated his positive approach.

The choice of song is not casual, it perfectly reflects the cyclist's determination and his willingness to return to racing soon. Pogacar has demonstrated, once again, that he is not easily discouraged and that, even in difficult moments, he knows how to keep morale high.

With this gesture, he not only reassured his supporters, but also reminded everyone that, as in life, it is essential to continue to "stay alive" and face challenges with a smile. The diagnosis is indeed serious: concussion, displaced fracture of the left clavicle, and a stable fracture of the cervical vertebra C7.

Meanwhile, the Vuelta resumes today with Spanish rider Mas in the red jersey (yesterday he refused to wear it on the podium as a sign of great respect for Pogacar) and one of the stages that would certainly have thrilled Tadej: the uphill finish at Alto de Aitana, in the hinterland of Alicante, after a day with almost 5000 meters of elevation gain. These were Marco Pantani's training roads, when he chose the Costa Blanca to prepare for the season: that's why Pogacar would have particularly wanted to win here.