Pogačar stared at the medical report in silence, the room tightening around him as every heartbeat echoed fear. When he slammed his hand on the table, everyone knew disaster had arrived.

The five words he whispered—soft but devastating—drained color from the managers’ faces instantly. Those closest to the Slovenian star said they had never seen him this frightened before.

Doctors rushed to clarify the situation, but one senior specialist admitted privately that the findings were “significantly more alarming than the media suspects,” signaling a crisis beyond simple injury or fatigue.

Within minutes, UAE Team Emirates initiated an internal lockdown, limiting access to medical files and ordering staff to avoid discussing anything related to the test results with outsiders under any circumstances.

Despite strict controls, tension spread through the facility. Riders exchanged uneasy glances, wondering whether their captain’s era of dominance might be ending far earlier than anyone imagined.

A leaked internal message, supposedly exchanged between two senior physiologists, hinted at a chronic issue that had silently worsened for months without revealing clear early symptoms to the public.

The message described abnormal stress markers, potential long-term cardiac strain, and an urgent need for immediate off-season intervention—details that deeply contradicted the optimistic tone shared with the press.

One staff member wrote that pushing through another grand tour could “risk irreversible damage,” a phrase that reportedly caused panic among senior management reviewing the findings in secret.

The team attempted to calm fears, yet an insider noted that morale collapsed the moment analysts confirmed the results weren’t caused by overtraining alone, but by something far harder to treat.

Pogačar, normally upbeat and fearless, appeared distant after learning the full explanation. His teammates noticed he avoided eye contact, breathing heavily as reality settled painfully over him.

Close confidants revealed he battled internal conflict, torn between preserving his long-term health and honoring the expectations of millions who see him as cycling’s unstoppable force.

Later that evening, he met with trusted advisors who warned that continuing at his current intensity could shorten his career drastically, possibly forcing a premature retirement by age thirty.

Their words struck him harder than any mountain stage. Retirement had never crossed his mind, yet now it loomed like a shadow threatening everything he had built.

The leaked message also mentioned that team executives feared financial repercussions if sponsors reacted negatively to uncertainties surrounding their brightest star’s future stability.

Rumors inside the training camp claimed emergency meetings were scheduled to redesign strategic goals, preparing for the worst while hoping the situation might still be reversible.

Pogačar’s closest teammates secretly discussed forming a protective circle around him, ensuring no external pressure would push him into dangerous decisions he wasn’t ready to confront.

One rider privately admitted that the team had ignored warning signs earlier, brushing off subtle hints of exhaustion because Pogačar always bounced back stronger than before.

Another insider said the medical department underestimated cumulative stress, falsely assuming elite recovery methods would shield the champion from deeper, slow-building internal issues.

When word of the leaked message spread, senior management scrambled to identify the source, desperate to contain panic while attempting to reassure Pogačar he still had options.

Yet the champion knew time was now his enemy. For the first time, he questioned whether chasing greatness had quietly pushed his body past an invisible point of no return.

He walked out of the meeting room alone, whispering that cycling had given him everything—but might soon demand a price he was no longer willing to pay.