The mournful cries of Wout Van Aert after the Dwars door Vlaanderen crash were accompanied by the brutal vision of a number of riders and bikes scattered across the road, with ripped jerseys and the painful consequences of hitting the road at hard at speed.
Some were taken to hospital for treatment, others were forced to quit the race and some were able to ride on but the injury updates flowed through in the hours after the race and into Thursday as Van Aert, Stuyven and Kirsch underwent surgery and riders awoke in pain.
The Dwars door Vlaanderen crash meant 'the cycling world shifted on its axis' as Barry Ryan wrote in his reflection on Van Aert's ill-fated relationship with the Classics and what it means for the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the sport.
Teams have been forced to change their line-ups for the Tour of Flanders, team leaders are out of the race, others are injured and in pain, meaning it will be a very different race.
This is a team by team update on the rider injuries.
Visma-Lease a Bike - Multiple fractures and surgery for Wout van Aert
The live race coverage made it clear what the Visma-Lease a Bike team later confirmed: Wout van Aert had suffered injuries that would not only take him out of contention for the Tour of Flanders but also Paris-Roubaix and Amstel Gold Race.
The team announced that a "broken collarbone and several broken ribs were diagnosed in hospital".
Het Laatste Nieuws also reported in its live blog that Van Aert underwent surgery in Herentals overnight and that he also broke his sternum in the fall. Others said he had fractured seven ribs such was the impact with he road after he touched wheels with teammte Tiesj Benoot.
Intermarché-Wanty - Biniam Girmay and Laurenz Rex avoid fractures
Biniam Girmay hopes for the 2023 Tour of Flanders were wrecked by a horrible fall, so when he came down hard on Wednesday the fear was that it was happening all over again.
The Eritrean seemed injured and in shock as he headed off to hospital for checks and treatment but the Intermarche-Wanty team later delivered a "good news" update.
"Biniam Girmay and Laurenz Rex did not sustain any fractures following their crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen," the Belgian team said.
The wait is now on to see if Girmay will be on the start line of the Tour of Flanders, and if the impact will take a toll.
“The first scan has shown that he has no fracture,” said team performance manager Aike Visbeek, according to a report on Wielerflits.
“But we have to take a look, because he really took a hit on the ribs. He fell hard. It seems to be not too bad, but it is now important how those ribs react in the coming days.
"We continue to have hope for the Tour of Flanders. It's fifty-fifty , I think.”
Lidl-Trek - Mixed fortunes and different injuries for Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven and Alex Kirsch
Team strength was seen as key for Lidl-Trek heading into the Tour of Flanders, but their hopes were hard hit in that Dwars door Vlaanderen crash.
Jasper Stuyven underwent surgery for a fractured collarbone, ending his spring campaign while he was in the form of his life. Alex Kirsch also requires surgery for fractured metacarpal in his right hand.
Gent Wevelgem winner Mads Pedersen also was among the fallers and suffered multiple abrasions and contusions.
"Bruises and a sore body is for sure on the menu for the next days, but I’ll do my absolute best to be back for Sunday!" Pedersen wrote on Instagram.
"To my to fallen teammates @jasperstuyven and @kirschalex92 I wish you a speedy recovery!"
It's crazy how much of a rollercoaster this bike racing thing is. You can be on the top of the world and the next second feel like in a free fall. Feel heartbroken for all the guys that hit the deck today. 💔 https://t.co/KEyDXr8zZdMarch 27, 2024
Astana Qazaqstan - Michele Gazzoli fractures three ribs
Italian rider Michele Gazzoli was one of those riders who remained sitting on the road, clearly not going anywhere other than the hospital, after Wednesday's fall.
His Astana Qazaqstan team said the x-ray showed that he had fractured three ribs.
Teammate Gleb Brussenskiy, was more fortunate. He was unable to finish Dwars door Vlaanderen but did not suffer serious injury.
EF Education-EasyPost - Harry Sweeny avoids injury, Alberto Bettiol hit by cramps, Neilson Powless out of Tour of Flanders
"Had better days" was Harry Sweeny's comment on an Instagram story post replaying video of the Dwars door Vlaanderen crash which showed him trying to peel himself off the tarmac.
It was a DNF for the Australian with the team saying that "Harry Sweeny was forced to abandon Dwars door Vlaanderen after being involved in a crash. He will be assessed by the team’s medical staff."
It is perhaps a positive sign that Sweeny was listed as on the Tour of Flanders squad when a media release on its composition was put out Wednesday evening.
Alberto Bettiol as also named for the Tour of Flanders despite being hit by cramps while on the attack at Dwars door Vlaanderen. However Neilson Powless will not race on Sunday after his knee injury wrecked his spring.
🚨 @RondeVlaanderen is FOUR days away 🙌 Hear from our squad ahead of our second monument of the year: https://t.co/lhBCsox6q3#RVV24 #FLCS pic.twitter.com/Onp7GeBxiJMarch 27, 2024
Alpecin-Deceuninck - Mathieu van der Poel stays safe at home, Gianni Vermeersch has road rash but no injuries
Mathieu dan der Poel opted not to ride Dwars door Vlaanderen after racing hard at E3 SAxo Calssic and Gent-Wevelgem, and so was safe at home when the crash took out his biggest rival. He is now the absolute favourite for the Tour of Flanders.
Jasper Philipsen avoided the crash but teammate Gianni Vermeersch went own at speed, flying over his handlebars but managing to roll.
He was able to ride back to the Alpecin-Deceuninck team bus but the team said he suffered "abrasions over back and trauma at the level of tailbone-sacrum were diagnosed.
It is not clear if he will be able to ride the Tour of Flanders.
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