Italian cyclist Debora Silvestri has revealed she suffered five broken ribs and a micro fracture in her shoulder after a horrific crash in the Milan-San Remo one-day classic.
Silvestri came off her bike and tumbled over a guard rail after being caught up in a crash, landing hard on her side before she lay motionless.
The 27-year-old was taken to hospital after the incident and provided an update via Instagram.
“Thanks for the many, many messages I received. Sure not the final I had imagined,” she wrote.
“I feel quite good, five ribs broken and microfracture on shoulder … could be worse.
“Time to recover but no worries, I will come back. Thanks team Laboral Kutxa for the support.”
Silvestri’s team said she was being monitored in hospital and that her spirits were high despite the incident.
Two of the favourites for the race, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and Kim Le Court-Pienaar, were also involved in the crash.
Niewiadoma-Phinney was unable to continue, while Le Court-Pienaar remounted but finished in 99th place. Lotte Kopecky claimed victory.
In the men’s race, a bloodied, bruised and battered Tadej Pogačar finally won the Milan-San Remo “monument” classic to add to his cycling legend.