Updated: Dimension Data rider escapes serious injury after striking a traffic divider at foot of Poggio
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Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) (Image credit: LaPresse - Ferrari / Paolone)
Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) crashed in Milan-San Remo(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) crashed(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) bloodied in a crash in Tirreno-Adriatico(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mark Cavendish back at his team car(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data).(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mark Cavendish played down his chances after breaking his rib in Tirreno-Adriatico(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Mark Cavendish suffered another serious crash in Milan-San Remo, his third bad fall of the young 2018 season. The Dimension Data rider was relatively well positioned with just under 10km to go near the foot of the Poggio, but as the peloton parted at a traffic divider, Cavendish ran out of room to avoid it and took a direct impact.
The waist-high bollard launched Cavendish through the air, and he somersaulted, landing heavily on his back. Luckily, the team's physician Jarrad Van Zuydam stated on Twitter, he seems to have escaped serious injury.
"Yes, Cav is okay. No serious injuries, details to follow from the team. He even managed to preserve his sense of humour," Van Zuydam said.
The team later posted an update that confirmed Cavendish had a new rib fracture on the same side where he broke a rib last week, and "bruising and abrasions consistent with the scale of the crash", as well as a possible ligament injury in his ankle that requires further scans.
Cavendish started the season off with a stage win in the Dubai Tour, but crashed on the first stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour, suffering a concussion and whiplash when the race's lead vehicle suddenly slowed when its automatic braking system engaged, leading to the chain-reaction crash.
He returned for Tirreno-Adriatico, but crashed again in the opening team time trial and was out of the race, having missed the time cut. He suffered a broken rib, facial lacerations and scraped hands, knees and hips in the fall, but was deemed fit to start Milan-San Remo.
He was tucked nicely in the middle of the peloton as it sped toward the Poggio in the last 10km of Milan-San Remo when at the exit of a roundabout, he ran out of room to avoid a large bollard.
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Milan San Remo: talking points - 2. And this awful high speed crash to Mark Cavendish who was riding a wonderful race but his luck is just all bad at the moment in races. He is currently being assessed by a medical team say his team. pic.twitter.com/x16c5xCn1b
