The Slovenian star of UAE Team Emirates fell in the early hours of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. We were unable to see the crash as the race was not yet live but the team showed images of him heading to the hospital banged up. Later we learned he fractured his left scaphoid in multiple pieces that were put back in line with a small screw.

He's OK, don't worry, and still has that same Pogacar charm posting photos on Instagram. Clearly relaxed and trying to make the most of his days off.

Matxin Fernández, the UAE's Sports Manager who discovered Pogacar as a junior racer, explained to Belgian media that his star rider will extend the down time period that he would have had after his classics block of racing.

"Tadej is now taking three weeks of rest. Normally, he'd do a wind tunnel test and the reconnaissance of a number of [Tour] stages were on the program, but these are being scrapped. If all goes well, he will join the team at altitude training."

The altitude camp with riders including Adam Yates, takes place from mid-May to early June in Sierra Nevada, which is Spain's south, towering over the nearby town of Granada at 2500 meters or 8200 feet

The question is how soon will Pogacar join his team at camp and if he will be ready for his Tour of Slovenia race comeback, June 14-18. He should be completely recovered and ready for the Tour de France, starting July 1 in Bilbao. And if anything, this may force him to peak in the second half of the race.

Regarding the timing of it all, Fernández added, "There is plenty of time for that, we think."

Their number one rival and 2022 Tour champion, Jonas Vingegaard is progressing fine. He won the overall at the Tour of the Basque Country. Next week, he heads to Sierra Nevada with his Jumbo-Visma team where they will no doubt encounter the UAE squad.

The Dane will test himself ahead of the Tour at the Critérium du Dauphiné, June 4 to 11. And head to altitude again in Tignes, France, ahead of what's expected to be a heated battle this summer at the Tour de France with Pogacar.