Silvestri and Niewiadoma escape unscathed after a terrifying crash at Sanremo Donne
CyclingSunday, 22 March 2026 at 08:48
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Follow us on GoogleMilan-Sanremo for the women, officially called Sanremo Donne, was won on Saturday by Lotte Kopecky, but every cycling fan watched the finale with a knot in the stomach. While the Belgian from SD Worx-Protime sprinted to victory on the Via Roma, our thoughts were with Debora Silvestri, who had crashed heavily on the descent of the Cipressa.
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Silvestri was not in the first chasing group after the top of the Cipressa, where Lieke Nooijen had attacked for Visma | Lease a Bike. Kasia Niewiadoma took matters into her own hands in the chase for Canyon//SRAM, but the Pole descended far too aggressively. In a blind right-hand corner, she slammed hard into the barrier.
Strangely enough, Niewiadoma still got off relatively lightly, because the riders were down immediately after the corner, meaning those coming from behind had no chance to see what was ahead. That was why Margaux Vigié of Visma | Lease a Bike went over the guardrail first, although the Frenchwoman remarkably got back up straight away. The same could not be said for Debora Silvestri.
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Silvestri taken to hospital after crash in Sanremo Women
The 27-year-old Italian, riding for Laboral Kutxa, had a small gap to close and came through the turn completely unaware of what had happened. At high speed, she suddenly saw the fallen riders in front of her, and seconds later she was lying several metres further on, motionless on the ground. The television broadcast cut away just as we saw Silvestri move slightly, but the big question remained: how was she doing?
Fortunately, Laboral Kutxa provided an update around the finish. “Debora Silvestri crashed on the descent of the Cipressa. She is conscious and on her way to the hospital to receive treatment. We will provide more information on her condition in the coming hours,” the team said. That was, without question, the best news to come out of Sanremo Women.
Diagnosis for Silvestri and Niewiadoma Following the Milan-Sanremo Crash
The updates that followed were actually quite positive. Silvestri underwent a whole series of tests at the hospital before posting a message on her social media channels: 'Thank you for all the messages I’ve received. This wasn’t the finish I had envisioned, but I feel pretty good. I’ve broken five ribs and have a microfracture in my shoulder. It could have been worse. ‘
'Now it’s time to recover, but I’ll be back!’, said Silvestri. Other riders involved in the crash also escaped with minor injuries. Niewiadoma did not suffer any fractures, her team reported, just a lot of cuts and bruises. The Polish rider herself wrote: ‘My coach always says: if you don’t take risks, it’s not elite sport. I could have been more cautious, but I wanted to seize my chance.’
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - Gran artículo, pero una duda: ¿por qué solo dos horas de reconocimiento? Eso suena muy corto para un Mundial. Merci!velodromevirtuoso119-09-2026
- - Wait, Rwanda 2025—did he really win last year by over a minute on Jay Vine? I thought the huge margin was two seasons ago. Feels like the article’s mixing editions?jennifer1919-09-2026
- - Fifth in Montréal after the Québec win isn’t a red flag. That parcours is punchier and the cadence demands are different. TT legs should be fine by Sunday. Allez Remco!davidm19-09-2026
- - Ganna’s “2–3 km” power is insane, but this is 39k. Over/under pacing will decide it. If Remco negative splits like Québec, he’s favourite. If it’s blustery, Ganna’s mass might help. Flip a coin.sprocketspiny19-09-2026
- - Remco’s right to be annoyed. Two hours for line choice, wind mapping, road surface, manhole locations, roundabouts, and turnaround pacing is tight. He’s meticulous—racetrack sessions, CdA dialing, the whole lot. Marginal gains win rainbow bands.andrewf19-09-2026
- - How does course reconnaissance actually help in a time trial if it’s mostly flat and straight? Is it just corner lines and wind spots, or are there other things they look for?bikebuffj19-09-2026
- - Minor correction: the Worlds TT is usually on a weekday, not Sunday the 20th? Is that a typo from the organiser or the article? Either way, Montréal flats + long straights scream Ganna vs Evenepoel. Can’t wait.gearguru3319-09-2026
- - Love the confidence from Remco, but two hours recon on a2km TT is a joke. Course knowledge matters at 55 kph. Still, if anyone maximises aero and pacing, it’s him.breakawaybikerd19-09-2026
- - Qué pena por Carapaz, pero la salud primero. Volverá más fuerte. Grande campeón!robert6519-09-2026
- - Slightly harsh take: announcing via “his own channels” isn’t unique to South America, it’s just modern pro sport. That line felt a bit stereotyped, to be honest.davidm19-09-2026
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