Cycling Olympic favourite was 'screaming in pain' after suffering bloody cuts and bruises in horror crash in Belgium that left him with a broken collarbone and fractured ribs

One of Belgium's astir prestigious roadworthy cycling races was marred by a superior clang that near Olympic favourite Wout van Aert pinch surgery collarbone and fractured ribs. 

Van Aert suffered respective fractures aft being brought down on pinch respective riders immoderate 65 kilometres from nan decorativeness of the Dwars doorway Vlaanderen one-day title connected Wednesday.

The leader of nan Visma-Lease a Bike squad collapsed conscionable up of nan climb of Berg 10 Houte on pinch Biniam Girmay of Intermarche-Wanty and Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven of Lidl-Trek. 

Van Aertm, nan reigning Olympic roadworthy title metallic medallist and a podium favourite for nan 2024 Olympics this summer, could beryllium heard screaming successful symptom arsenic he laic connected nan ground.

He was helped onto a stretcher and taken to nan aesculapian shelter for X-rays, which revealed nan grade of his injuries and ruled him retired of nan upcoming Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and nan Amstel Gold Race - 3 of nan classical roadworthy races that are nan staple of nan cycling almanac successful March and April. 

'It is unclear really agelong his betterment will take,' nan Visma squad said successful a statement. 

'Van Aert will decidedly miss nan Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and nan Amstel Gold Race.'

Stuyven besides appeared to wounded his collarbone successful nan crash, while Pedersen and Girmay did not look to person awesome injuries.

Van Aert sat retired nan caller Paris-Nice and Milan-San Remo races, opting alternatively for a three-week altitude campy successful bid to highest for Sunday's Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix connected April 7.

The Belgian is wide considered 1 of nan world's champion and astir versatile riders. 

The three-time cyclocross world champion is besides nan victor of 10 stages and nan points classification astatine nan Tour de France, on pinch nan victor of specified awesome races arsenic Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianchi, Gent-Wevelgem and Amstel Gold Race.

Belgium has qualified nan maximum 4 riders for nan roadworthy title astatine nan Paris Olympics, and 2 of those riders will return portion successful nan clip trial. Van Aert was connected nan agelong database released past twelvemonth on pinch Remco Evenepoel and respective different stars.

Van Aert was readying to skip nan Tour de France, which ends conscionable earlier nan Paris Games, truthful that he would beryllium fresher for nan Olympics. He alternatively planned to title nan Giro d'Italia successful May, though those plans are now successful mobility aft his crash.

During nan Tokyo Olympics successful 2021, van Aert was portion of a chasing group trying to drawback eventual victor Richard Carapaz astatine Fuji Speedway. 

But nan group was much than a infinitesimal down nan Ecuadorian astatine nan finish, and van Aert was near to out-sprint a group that included American rider Brandon McNulty and bronze medalist Tadej Pogacar for nan metallic medal.

Van Aert besides competed successful nan individual clip proceedings successful Japan, finishing successful sixth spot but a specified 37 seconds retired of nan medals.

The Dwars doorway Vlaanderen was won by Van Aert's American squad mate Matteo Jorgenson, victor of nan Paris-Nice earlier this month, but his thoughts were pinch nan Belgian.

'It was a very nasty fall, I knew instantly that we had mislaid Wout,' Jorgenson said.

'I dream everyone is okay, and that I'm now not nan only remaining contender for nan Tour of Flanders. We'll spot astir that later.'