Urška Žigart Suffers Jaw Refracture, Likely Ending Her Season

Urška Žigart has suffered a fractured jaw for the second time this season, crashing out of the Faun Tour Femmes during Stage 3 in Tournon-sur-Rhône on Saturday. The AG Insurance-Soudal rider was sitting in third place overall when the incident occurred, ending a promising campaign that follows an identical injury earlier in the year. According to an official statement released by the AG Insurance-Soudal team on Saturday evening, the severity of the repeated trauma means her 2026 racing season is likely over.

The Slovenian cyclist previously fractured her jaw in a severe crash during Stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse in June. She managed a rapid recovery after avoiding surgery because the fracture fragments aligned naturally, allowing her to return to the peloton just six weeks later for the Tour de France Femmes in early August. During that race, she played a key role in helping teammate Kim Le Court-Pienaar secure ninth place overall and a stage victory, building on a solid sixth-place finish at the Vuelta España Femenina in May.

Team Outlook and Missed Championships

Saturday’s crash on the third stage of the Faun Tour de l’Ardèche alters the remainder of Žigart’s competitive calendar. Following medical examinations conducted after the accident, AG Insurance-Soudal confirmed the new fracture diagnosis in a team bulletin.

Additional medical checks have uncovered a fresh jaw fracture as a result of her accident during Stage 3 of the Faun Tour de l’Ardèche.

AG Insurance-Soudal team

The team stated that the repeat nature of the injury rules her out of upcoming international fixtures.

Considering the character of the injury and the fact that it is a recurring fracture, Urška’s 2026 campaign is expected to conclude prematurely. This would also mean she will miss the upcoming World Championships.

AG Insurance-Soudal team

Recovery Timeline for 2027

Management for AG Insurance-Soudal indicated that immediate attention turns toward the rider’s healing process before any concrete timeline for a return to competition is set. The team will monitor the healing process closely, though current expectations point toward a comeback in 2027 rather than any late-season appearances.

Her focus will now fully shift towards her recovery. A final determination regarding the rest of her season will be made by the squad after carefully observing her healing trajectory. We wish Urška a smooth recovery and look forward to seeing her back with the team.

AG Insurance-Soudal team