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 several feet onto a lower section of road.
Silvestri was conscious when taken to hospital and her team later confirmed she was stable. She 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 incident occurred less than 20km from the finish of the 156km race, one of cycling's five Monuments. Race favourites Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney and Kim Le Court Pienaar also went down in the crash. Niewiadoma Phinney could not continue, while Le Court Pienaar remounted and finished 99th.
The women's race was won by Belgium's Lotte Kopecky, who edged Switzerland's Noemi Ruegg and Italy's Eleonora Gasparrini in a sprint. The men's race saw double world champion Tadej Pogacar pip Britain's Tom Pidcock by half a wheel after 298km. Pogacar also crashed, along with Wout van Aert, who recovered to finish third.
