It’s a tough morning after the night before for many riders and teams in Belgium this Sunday, as the effects and injuries from two crash-filled editions of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad have become clearer overnight.
The men’s race on Saturday saw several high-speed incidents, including one at the entrance to the Molenberg which cost Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling) two teeth, whilst the women’s race incidents were less dramatic but impacted the race nonetheless, not least putting Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) out of contention.
It was Pluimers and his crash in front of winner Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) that grabbed attention on Saturday, but his Tudor Pro Cycling teammate Stefan Küng has come away with more serious injuries.
“Stefan Küng sustained a fracture to his left thigh following a crash during today’s Omloop Nieuwsblad. Given the injury’s location and severity, surgery is necessary,” his team posted on social media. “Stefan will remain in the hospital in Belgium overnight. He’ll be transferred to Switzerland as soon as possible, where he is scheduled to undergo surgery early next week.”
Küng, who moved to Tudor this winter, had a strong Classics season last spring, finishing in the top 10 of the E3 Saxo Classic, Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders, as well as fifth in Paris-Roubaix the year before, but Tudor will now be down a powerhouse for the rest of the Spring.
“Following Ben Swift’s crash at Omloop Nieuwsblad yesterday, medical examinations have confirmed he has sustained a fractured pelvis,” his team confirmed. “He is currently under the care of our medical team, and we wish him a smooth and speedy recovery.”
The volume of crashes and injuries has meant teams were playing musical chairs overnight to fill…
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