After another brutal edition of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, reigning champion Dylan van Baarle headed up the injury report after crashing out of the race on the five-star Trouée d’Arenberg.
The Dutchman, who soloed to victory last year, was among numerous riders to go down amid a spate of crashes on the most famous sector of the race. Van Baarle was listed in the race’s official injury report as having suffered a ‘cranial trauma’ and ‘forehead wound’.
However, after being checked over in Valenciennes hospital, Van Baarle was also diagnosed with a fracture in his hand as well as a fractured shoulder and is set to be out of action for some time as a result.
Peter Sagan, who was riding his final Paris-Roubaix as he prepares to retire from road racing at the end of the season, abandoned after getting caught in a mass crash on the second sector of cobbles from Viesly to Quiévy.
Following assessments at the side of the road, the 2018 winner left the race with a concussion and also suffered several wounds as a result of the crash.
Cofidis rider Piet Allegaert was also placed in cycling’s concussion protocol after taking a blow to the head in the same crash.
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bingoal WB) also suffered a blow to the head, listed as a ‘disoriented head trauma’ in the race injury list, while Sébastian Grignard (Lotto-Dstny) was another to suffer a head trauma in addition to left shoulder contusions.
Filippo Colombo (Q36.5) suffered a dislocated left shoulder, while Bahrain Victorious pair Dušan Rajovič (left knee wounds) and Matej Mohorič (forearm wound).
Their teammate Fred Wright was caught in the day’s most dramatic crash, the Briton coming down hard on the Trouée d’Arenberg after his front tyre rolled off the rim. Multiple riders also fell in quick succession afterwards, including Van Baarle, Mohorič, and Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-QuickStep).
Wright’s condition hasn’t yet been confirmed by his team, but the Bahrain co-leader was taken to a local hospital after abandoning the race in the famous forest.
The official injury list provides a glimpse into what went on during the five-and-a-half-hour race, with many more minor injuries and accidents not included in the document. As ever, the 2023 edition of Paris-Roubaix was another brutal one for the books.
💥 Crash in the Trouée d’Arenberg , toughest sport in the world #cycling #parisroubaix 🚴🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/8IsXYC7xFOApril 9, 2023
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