Broken collarbone confirmed for Wout van Aert after Dwars Door Vlaanderen crash

The effects of the mass crash within the pre-race favourites at Dwars Door Vlaanderen 2024 is beginning to become known with Wout van Aert set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a broken collarbone.

"It was very intense and bad. Such a fall is terrible to see. When someone groans in pain like that, it is very intense," Team Visma | Lease a Bike's sports director, Merijn Zeeman explained to HLN after his team leader was rushed to hospital in the back of an ambulance.

"Unfortunately, Wout van Aert suffered several fractures in the crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen today," reads an update by the team's social media pages. "A broken collarbone and several broken ribs were diagnosed in hospital. It is unclear how long his recovery will take. He will definitely miss the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race."

Due to his collarbone break, van Aert will certainly now be forced to miss the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Potentially even his Giro d'Italia debut is now at threat because of this injury although there is a little more time for recovery in that regard.

Also involved in the crash was Lidl-Trek star, Jasper Stuyven and the Belgian has also been confirmed with a broken collarbone on a very heavy day for the Belgian Classics stars.