“Bruised, not broken” – Michal Kwiatkowski shares positive update after Milano-Sanremo crash scare

Michal Kwiatkowski has provided a reassuring update following his heavy crash at Milano-Sanremo, confirming he avoided serious injury after a high-speed incident on the approach to the Tre Capi.

The INEOS Grenadiers rider was one of several caught up in a crash with around 65 kilometres to go, colliding with a rider from Pinarello-Q36.5 before hitting a roadside pole and being forced to abandon the race.

In an image shared on Instagram from hospital, Kwiatkowski appeared in good spirits and accompanied the post with the caption: “Bruised, not broken”.

Initial concern surrounded the severity of the crash, particularly given the impact with the roadside infrastructure and the visible pain shown by the former Milano-Sanremo winner at the scene.

However, INEOS Grenadiers later confirmed that medical examinations ruled out any fractures. “Medical checks confirmed there are no fractures,” the team said in an official update. “He has now been placed back under the care of our medical staff. We wish Kwiato a speedy recovery.”

The incident came at a critical point in the race, just as positioning battles intensified ahead of the Tre Capi. Kwiatkowski was joined in the crash by team-mates Ben Turner and Connor Swift. Both riders were able to continue, though clearly affected, while team leader Filippo Ganna narrowly avoided the incident altogether.

With one of their experienced riders out of the race, INEOS were forced to quickly regroup as the peloton accelerated towards the decisive phase.

Given the nature of the crash, the outcome represents a significant relief.

Kwiatkowski, winner of Milano-Sanremo in 2017, was left lying on the roadside after the incident, with the collision appearing particularly heavy in live coverage. His social media update, combined with the team’s medical confirmation, now provides a much more positive picture.

After one of the more alarming crashes of the race, the message is clear. Bruised, but not broken.