VIDEO: Mark Cavendish suffers another terrible crash at Milan-SanRemo
Mark Cavendish suffered another terrible crash in the final 20 kms of Milan San Remo hitting an unmarshalled bollard at high speed
As the pace started to increase before the final climbs, Cavendish like many before him, tries to avoid a yellow bollard, but due to the speed and lack of a marshal, he plows straight into the barrier at full speed, and is catapulted through the air, in horrific scenes.
He was seen lying in the road in agony. The crash also brought down a number of other riders, including two riders from Cofidis and one from Lotto-Soudal. Cofidis' Anthony Turgis and Guillaume Bonnafond were caught up in the crash with Cavendish. Turgis suffered a broken collarbone while Bonnafond finished the race with multiple contusions.
Cavendish was quickly attended to by medics and did not appear to lose consciousness. Dimension Data team doctor Dr Jarrad van Zuydam said Cavendish was “okay and had not suffered any serious injuries."
However after medical examinations he went onto say "He did sustain a new rib fracture (5th) on the same side as the one that he damaged in the opening stage of Tirreno-Adriatico (7th). He also has bruising and abrasions consistent with the scale of the crash as well as a possible 'ligamentous ankle injury' that will require further assessment once he returns home on Saturday. The team would like to extend a big thanks to everybody who has sent messages of concern; and we will keep you updated as and when, should additional information become available."
Andre Greipel broke his collarbone, in a crash in the closing kilometes and Simon Clarke and Dan McLay hit each other on a descent with 50kms to go. Clarke hit a stone wall, and said, "Unfortunately I have 3 broken vertebrae from my crash in MSR today. On the bright side, enjoying a pizza in the back of the ambulance."