Heavy Cipressa descent crash rocks Milano-Sanremo Women 2026 as Niewiadoma and Le Court caught up

A major crash on the descent of the Cipressa has shaken Milano-Sanremo Women 2026 at a critical moment in the race, with several riders brought down just as the finale was beginning to take shape.

The incident occurred shortly after the summit of the Cipressa, where the pace had already intensified, and the peloton had been reduced following a series of attacks. Among those caught up were Kasia Niewiadoma and Kim Le Court, both of whom had been active during the climb itself.

The crash had a wider impact beyond the initial fall, with riders in the following group unable to avoid the incident and going down in a secondary collision. One rider was even visible to have fallen several metres down the roadside embankment, underlining the severity of the moment on one of the most technical sections of the course.

At this stage, the full extent of any injuries remains unclear, but the timing of the crash has had an immediate effect on the race situation. With the Poggio still to come, several contenders have been forced to chase back on or may now be out of contention altogether.

The Cipressa descent is often a decisive point in Milano-Sanremo, but this year it has delivered disruption rather than separation, leaving the race wide open heading into the final kilometres.

The thoughts of everyone at CyclingUpToDate go out to all the riders involved.