Julian Alaphilippe fell heavily at 35 km from the finish of the Tour of Flanders which he therefore does not stick to his prize list in 2020. At this point in the race, the French world champion is in the lead and escaped with the Belgian. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Dutchman Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix). Namely, the three favorites of the last classic of the season. And Alaphilippe then has every chance of hanging the monument on his prize list.
But at the exit of a bend, the world champion does not see a racing motorcycle occupied by a marshal practically at a standstill on the right of the road. Surprised by this incongruous presence, Alaphilippe falls heavily and dramatically. He is not far from making a sun over his machine. Above all, it does not fall. He even stays in bed for long seconds, surprised, dejected, disgusted.
He screams in pain on the tarmac, visibly holding his elbow. Two hours after the accident, the verdict was reached: the Frenchman suffers from a fracture in his right wrist and will be operated on Monday. “Julian Alaphilippe crashed into a motorcycle and had to abandon the race. The world champion was transported to the Renaix hospital, where x-rays showed fractures of the pasterns 2 and 4 of his right hand. He will be operated on Monday at Herentals hospital, ”his Deceuninck team said in a press release.
He obviously did not finish his first Tour of Flanders, he who could imagine ending his year in apotheosis. His season is over. It is the Dutchman Mathieu Van Der Poel, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor who won.
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
