World champion Julian Alaphilippe (Quickstep-AlphaVinyl) has suffered a fractured shoulder blade, two fractured ribs, and a collapsed lung after he was caught up in a mass crash ahead of the Col du Rosier at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The world champion crashed with 62km to go along with more than a dozen other major favourites including Ineos Grenadiers’ Tom Pidcock. Team DSM’s Romain Bardet, also involved in the fall, climbed down the steep embankment to help his compatriot Alaphilippe.
According to France Télévisions, Alaphilippe was conscious in the ambulance as he was being transported to hospital but complaining of back pain. Also caught up in the crash were Rigoberto Uran, Odd Eiking, Ben Healy, Simon Carr, and Ruben Guerreiro (EF Education-EasyPost), Jos van Emden (Jumbo-Visma), Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo).
After the race, which was won by his teammate Remco Evenepoel with a 29km solo attack on the Côte de La Redoute, QuickStep-AlphaVinyl confirmed to Cyclingnews that Alaphilippe was stable in hospital but had suffered multiple fractures as a result of his fall. His teammate Ilan Van Wilder has also suffered a broken jaw.
“Julian Alaphilippe suffered two broken ribs and a broken scapula. The ribs also punctured his lungs causing a hemo pneumothorax,” read a statement from the team.
“During the [crash], Ilan has unfortunately suffered a broken jaw in a crash that saw a mass pile-up in the middle of the peloton, 62km from the finish.
“Both will travel by ambulance to Herentals for further examination and treatment.”
Two Arkéa-Samsic riders were also injured, with Elie Gesbert breaking his hip and Lukasz Owsian a dislocated shoulder.
TotalEnergies’ Jeremy Cabot was transported to hospital, while his teammates Fabien Doubey and Cristian Rodriguez also crashed but escaped serious injuries.