Spanish cycling great Alejandro Valverde underwent surgery on a broken collarbone on Saturday after pulling out of the Vuelta a Espana.

The 41-year-old, who won the 2009 edition of the Vuelta, suffered a heavy crash in Friday's seventh stage and subsequently abandoned the race.

His Movistar team said Valverde came through his operation successfully.

They said in a statement posted on Twitter: "@alejanvalverde has undergone surgery this Saturday morning for his right clavicle fracture after his fall in #LaVuelta21.

"The intervention, carried out by @DrEsparzaRos and Dr Javier Hernandez at the Hospital @GrupoHLA La Vega (Murcia), passed without complications."

No timescale for his recovery has been detailed.

@alejanvalverde sufre una caída después de su ataque. ¡Mucho ánimo, campeón!

Crash for Alejandro Valverde @Movistar_Team just after his attack. Cheer up, sir! #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/MFn1iMZQuU
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 20, 2021

Valverde, who began Friday's stage sitting fourth overall, attacked on the Puerto El Colloa, attempting to put his GC rivals onto the back foot, only to spin out of control on a difficult right-hand turn.

He crashed through a gap in the barriers and onto the lip of the hillside, avoiding tumbling further. Although he attempted to carry on after receiving treatment, Valverde was soon compelled to retire from the race.

Valverde posted on Friday evening that "it hurts to leave like this" as he came to terms with his fate, the race carrying on in his absence.

— alejandro valverde (@alejanvalverde) August 21, 2021