Medical update after opening weekend: who are the biggest casualties?

The opening weekend was shaken up by both minor and major crashes. In this overview article, we list the riders involved and the consequences of the crashes for these cyclists.

Several men from Tudor were involved in a crash. The most seriously injured is Stefan Küng. He broke his left femur in a crash on the Jagerij. He will undergo surgery in Belgium and faces a long rehabilitation. On the Molenberg, Rick Pluimers was caught up in a crash; Van der Poel just managed to avoid him there. In the crash, two of his front teeth broke, but these have since been repaired by a dentist. His teammates Luca Mozzato and Marco Haller also took heavy falls but still managed to finish.

Vlad Van Mechelen crashed at the foot of the Wolvenberg. The rider was hit from behind, landed on his shoulder in the crash, and also broke his collarbone as a result. From INEOS Grenadiers, Magnus Sheffield, Sam Watson, and Ben Swift were involved in a crash. Swift appeared to be in severe pain immediately. A day later, it was announced that he had broken his pelvis.

Stefan Bissegger was involved in three crashes. He sustained multiple bruises, but as far as known, that was the extent of his injuries. Valentin Madouas also hit the asphalt twice. Additionally, Colby Simmons and Mikkel Honoré did not finish in Ninove; they too suffered only scrapes and bruises.

Movistar lost leaders Roger Adria and Orluis Aular after crashes, but both riders were back at the start line in Kuurne one day later. The double crash involving Rune Herregodts and Rui Oliveira forced the UAE Emirates XRG riders to abandon the race.

Due to the many crashes, Jonas Abrahamsen said he raced the entire day with fear in the peloton, and he too was eventually involved in a crash. Furthermore, Lukas Kubis, Mike Teunissen, and Arjen Livyns were not spared from crashes.

Significant damage for Wellens and Townsend
In Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, fortunately, the race was less chaotic, but there were still crashes. Tim Wellens was involved in a large crash about 100 kilometers from the finish. It quickly became clear he could not continue. There were fears of a broken collarbone, which was later confirmed. This means the Belgian champion’s spring campaign has come to an end.

Unfortunately, Wellens was not the only rider to suffer a fracture in the race around Kuurne. Unibet Rose Rockets had a tough Opening Weekend. The French team with Dutch roots saw several riders hit the ground, including Rory Townsend. The Irish champion crashed in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and it had serious consequences: he broke his shinbone and will be out of action for a while.