WORLD CHAMPION JULIAN Alaphilippe is badly injured, but in a stable condition after crashing heavily during the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Monument classic.
His Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team issued an update last night, revealing that Alaphilippe suffered two broken ribs, a broken scapula and a hemo pneumothorax in the mass fall.
The team say the Frenchman and Ilan Van Wilde — who was also involved — will be kept in hospital to undergo further examination and treatment. The statement, in full, reads:
“Following Sunday’s crash at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, we have an update on Ilan Van Wilder and Julian Alaphilippe.
“During the incident, Ilan has unfortunately suffered a broken jaw, in a crash that saw a mass pile-up in the middle of the peloton, 62 kilometers from the finish.
“In the same incident, World Champion Julian Alaphilippe suffered two broken ribs, a broken scapula and a hemo pneumothorax. His condition his stable, but will need to be hospitalised for observation.
“Both will travel by ambulance to Herentals for further examination and treatment.
“No further statement will be made at this time.”
Alaphilippe was rushed to hospital, complaining of severe back pain, after hitting a tree in a mass fall 60km from the finish line yesterday.
Ineos’ British rider Tom Pidcock fell first and took down around 30 riders on the 257.5km race through the Ardennes forest in Belgium on a narrow, wooded section where the peloton was racing hard.
Alaphilippe was able to move his legs and was conscious as the 29-year-old was taken away by ambulance with his mangled bike left abandoned down a slope off the roadside.
Compatriot Romain Bardet, also caught up in the fall, came to his aid and signalled to the medical service to intervene.
This is the third fall for the double world champion this season, after the Strade Bianche in early March and La Flèche Brabançonne ten days ago.
“I scared myself. I thought I had injured my wrist. But I only felt a few aches the next day, that’s all,” said Alaphilippe of his fall in the Flanders classic on 13 April.
Alaphilippe has been runner-up twice in the Belgian classic known as ‘La Doyenne’ (‘The Old Lady’) and after the withdrawal of Tadej Pogacar was considered amongst the favourites to win the 108th edition.
– © AFP 2022, additional reporting from The42 Team.
