Tour of Flanders 2020 - Julian Alaphilippe crashes into motorbike in terrible Ronde crash

ByTom Bennett

Updated 18/10/2020 at 15:19 GMT

Julian Alaphilippe suffered a nasty crash to end his Tour of Flanders challenge on Sunday. The World Champion collided with a motorbike and went down hard, bringing his race to a painful conclusion. The Deceuninck Quick-Step rider was assessed by medics at the scene and a later statement from his team confirmed that the rider had suffered a broken hand as well as injuries to his shoulder.

Alaphilippe will rightly be frustrated after a crash with a motorbike ended his Flanders challenge.

The World Champion flipped through the air and landed heavily after the collision, reportedly breaking his collarbone.

Watch the moment Julian Alaphilippe crashed into motorbike at Tour of Flanders

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"The World Champion is on the deck, but I don’t think you can blame Van der Poel there," said Carlton Kirby on commentary. "It was a motorcycle that was just on the side of the road and there was a momentary lack of vision.

"This looks like a serious injury, collarbone by the looks of things. We wish him the best, but what a way for that to happen. Terrible."

Alaphilippe was part of a three-man lead group along with Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel when the incident happened, and Sean Kelly says it was unfortunate timing for the Frenchman, who did not see the danger until it was too late.

"The motorbikes were slowing a bit, going slower than the riders," Kelly said.

"Van der Poel was also very close and flicked out and got around them, but Alaphilippe did not see it in time, touched the side of the moto and looks to have done some damage."

In a statement released on Sunday evening, Deceuninck confirmed the extent of Alaphilippe's injuries.

"The World Champion was taken to the hospital in Ronse, where the X-rays showed fractures of the metacarpal 2 and 4 on his right hand," the statement read.

"Alaphilippe, who was making his last appearance of the season in Flanders, will be operated on Monday morning at the Herentals Clinic."

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