Italian cyclist Debora Silvestri is recovering in hospital after breaking five ribs and fracturing her shoulder in a horrific crash at Milan-San Remo on Saturday. The 27-year-old Laboral Kutxa rider took evasive action to avoid a pile-up on the descent of the Cipressa climb, but went over a roadside barrier and fell headfirst onto a lower section of road.
Her team confirmed she was conscious when taken to hospital and later issued a statement saying she was “currently stable”. They added: “She will remain hospitalised for the next few hours under medical supervision, and further tests will be conducted to assess the extent of the injuries.”
Silvestri posted on Instagram: “Sure not the final I had imagined... I feel quite good, five ribs broken and a micro fracture on shoulder - could be worse.” The crash occurred less than 20km from the end of the 156km race, one of cycling’s five Monuments.
Two race favourites, former Tour de France champion Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney and Kim Le Court Pienaar, also went down. Niewiadoma Phinney could not continue, but Le Court Pienaar remounted and finished 99th. The women’s race was won by Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky, while the men’s race was won by Tadej Pogacar, who also crashed but recovered to beat Britain’s Tom Pidcock by half a wheel.
