Urška Žigart Avoids Jaw Surgery, Resumes Training Following Tour de Suisse Crash

Slovenian cyclist Urška Žigart has received a significant boost in her recovery from a severe mid-season crash, with her AG Insurance-Soudal team confirming she will not require surgery for a fractured jaw. The 29-year-old suffered the injury during a high-speed fall last month, casting doubt over the remainder of her highly successful 2026 campaign. However, follow-up medical examinations have provided a much more optimistic outlook, allowing her to bypass the operating table and begin a more straightforward rehabilitation process. The team announced that Žigart has already been cleared to gradually resume training under close medical supervision, and she has successfully returned to riding her bike. This positive development marks a crucial turning point for a rider who had been enjoying a breakout season in the Women's WorldTour before the setback.[1][2]

The injury occurred during a chaotic and frightening finale to the second stage of the Tour de Suisse Women on June 18. As the peloton thundered toward the finish line in Locarno, the lead group struck a traffic-calming bump in the road surface just inside the final kilometre. The unexpected obstacle caused Žigart to lose control, resulting in a heavy crash that brought down several other riders, including Sara Casasola, Ginia Caluori, and Maya Kingma. Žigart received immediate medical attention at the roadside before being transferred to a local hospital, where scans confirmed the jaw fracture but thankfully ruled out any other broken bones or severe trauma. The incident immediately ended her race and forced her into a period of strict rest.[1][4]

The nature of the crash quickly sparked intense discussions regarding rider safety and the design of race finales. Because the incident was triggered by urban road furniture during the highest-speed phase of the stage, the international riders' union, CPA Women, pointed to the crash as a clear failure of hazard mitigation. The union subsequently called for a substantial review of the current SafeR operating model, an initiative designed to standardize safety protocols across professional cycling. Advocates argue that traffic-calming measures must be better flagged, padded, or entirely routed around when designing sprint run-ins, as the peloton's density and speed leave riders with zero margin for error when encountering sudden surface changes.[1][2]

While the safety debate continues off the bike, Žigart's physical recovery has progressed better than initially feared. Facial fractures often require complex surgical interventions involving plates and extended recovery periods, which can severely disrupt a professional athlete's cardiovascular fitness and nutritional intake. By avoiding surgery, Žigart's medical team can focus purely on natural bone healing and a managed return to physical exertion. AG Insurance-Soudal noted that this non-surgical route allows for a more predictable and controlled step-by-step rebuild, minimizing the risk of secondary infections or surgical complications that have plagued other riders in the peloton this season.[1][2]

Despite the positive medical update, AG Insurance-Soudal is taking a highly cautious approach to her eventual return to the starting line. The team has explicitly declined to set a firm target date for her next race, emphasizing that her return is being carefully managed to build back toward her future goals without unnecessary pressure. Reintegrating into the professional peloton after a severe crash requires more than just physical healing; overcoming the psychological hurdle of riding in a tightly packed, high-speed bunch is equally critical. Žigart herself had previously admitted to feeling lingering fear after a separate crash at the Giro d'Italia Women earlier in the season, making a pressure-free rehabilitation environment essential for her complete recovery.[1][2][4]

The swift resumption of training is a vital lifeline for Žigart's 2026 ambitions, which had been tracking toward a career-best year. Prior to the crash in Switzerland, the Slovenian climber had established herself as a consistent general classification threat. She delivered a stellar performance at the Vuelta Femenina in May, securing sixth place overall, and followed it up with an impressive eighth-place overall finish at the Giro d'Italia Women. Those back-to-back Grand Tour top-10s cemented her status as a key leader for AG Insurance-Soudal, proving her ability to compete with the sport's elite across grueling multi-day stage races.[1][2]

Her recovery also provides a much-needed morale boost for an AG Insurance-Soudal squad that has been battered by the WorldTour's relentless injury crisis. The Belgian outfit has spent much of the 2026 season navigating extended absences from key personnel. Australian talent Sarah Gigante has faced ongoing complications and additional surgery stemming from a broken femur, while Kim Le Court-Pienaar only recently returned to action after fracturing her wrist at the Tour of Flanders. Having Žigart back on the bike and progressing well offers a rare piece of good medical news for a team management structure that has been forced to constantly shuffle its rosters.[1]

As the summer racing calendar accelerates, the looming question is whether Žigart will be ready to line up for the Tour de France Femmes in August. While her partner, Tadej Pogačar, currently battles for the yellow jersey in the men's Tour de France—cheered on by a supportive social media message from Žigart herself—her own focus remains strictly on the daily milestones of rehabilitation. Whether she pins on a race number in France or targets late-season objectives in the autumn, Žigart's ability to avoid the operating room and return to the saddle ensures that her breakout 2026 campaign is paused, rather than finished.[1][2][3]