Oudenaarde (Belgium) (AFP) - Cycling's Tour of Flanders was marred by a mass fall on Sunday as around 40 riders hit the tarmac with Wout Van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe amongst the fallers.
Van Aert and Alaphilippe were able to continue but Tadej Pogacar lost key teammate Tim Wellens while another fancied rider Britain's Tom Pidcock lost Ben Turner.
Former winner Peter Sagan also had to pull out of the race due to the fall.
The accident happened around 140km into the 273km cobbled-classic marathon as Bahrain Victorious rider Filip Maciejuk hit a pot hole whilst trying to get around the peloton on a verge of grass.
Maciejuk was expelled from the race within minutes.
French hope Valentin Madouas pulled out with a stomach issue.
