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Horror crash at Tour of Lombardy as Remco Evenepoel tumbles over barrier and into ravine

Remco Evenepoel lies at the bottom of a ravine after tumbling over barriers at the Tour of Lombardy - GETTY IMAGES
Remco Evenepoel lies at the bottom of a ravine after tumbling over barriers at the Tour of Lombardy - GETTY IMAGES

Cycling suffered another horrific crash on Saturday when Belgian sensation Remco Evenepoel tumbled over the barriers and into a ravine during the final 50km at the Tour of Lombardy.

Evenepoel, 20, one of the sport’s most exciting young talents, is in hospital after fracturing his pelvis and suffering a lung contusion. He had been among the leaders at the time of the crash, which was followed by ­another accident in which a private car brought down Maximilian Schachmann, the Bora-hansgrohe rider, in the final stages of the race.

The German rider was quickly back on his feet and managed to finish the race but the incident is being investigated by the UCI, the ruling body.

COMO, ITALY - AUGUST 15: Lachlan Morton of Australia and Team EF Pro Cycling / Michael Woods of Canada and Team EF Pro Cycling / Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Team Deceuninck - Quick-Step / Crash / Injury / Abandon / Medical / Doctor / during the 114th Il Lombardia 2020 a 231km race from Bergamo to Como / #ilombardia / @Il_Lombardia / on August 15, 2020 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

The two incidents come just two weeks after Evenepoel’s Deceuninck-Quick-Step team-mate Fabio Jakobsen suffered a terrifying high-speed crash at the Tour of Poland. The Dutch rider had to be placed in an induced coma, undergoing more than five hours of surgery to his face.

Evenepoel went on to win that race, dedicating his victory to Jakobsen, who has since been transferred to hospital in his native Holland to continue his recovery. Danish rider Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) won Saturday’s Tour of Lombardy.

Remco Evenepoel is carried out of the ravine on a stretcher - AFP
Remco Evenepoel is carried out of the ravine on a stretcher - AFP

Evenepoel’s team released a statement saying: “Placed into a precautionary neck brace and taken to the Como hospital by ambulance, Remco was conscious at all times as he underwent a series of examinations to reveal the extent of his injury.

“Unfortunately, the X-rays showed a fractured pelvis and a right lung contusion, which will keep Evenepoel on the sidelines for the forthcoming period. Our rider will remain in the hospital overnight under observation, before flying on Sunday to Belgium.”