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Follow us on GoogleMathieu van der Poel was involved in a major crash in the Tour of Flanders. The Dutch rider from Alpecin-Deceuninck was not seriously injured but had to try to return to the race. UAE Team Emirates XRG was also severely affected. Jhonatan Narváez and Tim Wellens crashed.
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Just before Van der Poel's crash, there was a major crash involving Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto-Dstny) and Jhonathan Narváez of UAE. Shortly after, Van der Poel crashed 130 kilometers from the finish. Due to the high level of nervousness in the peloton, many riders crashed on the left side of the road. Van der Poel was involved with several riders. Tim Wellens was also among them, which was another blow for Tadej Pogacar's team.
At first glance, the former world champion did not appear to have suffered any major damage, and he was soon back on his bike. But he was forced to chase hard, as Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had just put the peloton into a higher gear. With the help of his teammates, Van der Poel managed to catch up with the peloton again with 120 kilometers to go – shortly after the Eikenberg.
Whereas Van der Poel could continue, John Degenkolb could not. The experienced German from Team Picnic PostNL was affected so badly that he had to abandon the race.
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Latest Comments
- I don’t understand how you can break vertebrae and not feel much pain there. Does that mean the collarbone injury was just more noticeable, or can spinal fractures sometimes cause very little pain? Hope he’s fully healed soon.sprocketspiny01-11-2026
- The recovery-score details are interesting, but they’re not a substitute for proper medical advice. Hopefully the team are keeping a close eye on him and letting the scans—not the urge to train—set the timetable.jennifer1901-11-2026
- Pogacar’s point about the safety gap between the Tour and smaller races is spot on. Riders are going faster than ever, yet some finishes still have awkward turns and road furniture right in the finale. Organisers need to take this seriously.gearguru3301-11-2026
- Two extra vertebrae fractures is a frightening discovery, especially after the concussion and collarbone injury. Glad he’s recovering, but it shows why coming back too soon would be a terrible risk.breakawaybikerd01-11-2026
- The team says it wants answers “as quickly as possible”, but speed shouldn’t come at the expense of a thorough investigation. Since Picnic PostNL commissioned it, will the full report be published? The team’s transparency will matter as much as who leads the inquiry.cyclechamp4530-10-2026
- How can current riders give evidence without their comments being traced back to them? That seems especially important in a case about fear.raceready730-10-2026
- Olfers’ experience with the Rasmussen case is relevant: that inquiry also scrutinised the team’s decisions, not just the rider’s. Let’s hope this one looks closely at management and working conditions too.patriciaw30-10-2026
- An independent investigation is the right step, but it needs to be genuinely independent in practice. With 71 people already speaking to NOS and Thijs Zonneveld, Verinorm has a substantial starting point. I hope people can give evidence confidentially and the findings are made public.breakawaybikerd30-10-2026
- - I’m still figuring out the race categories: would a2 event like Battenkill attract the same teams and TV coverage as a WorldTour race?jennifer1929-10-2026
- - Seeing McNulty, Simmons and Jorgenson race on home roads would be a real boost. Hope this becomes more than just talk.raceready729-10-2026
