Debora Silvestri is conscious and on her way to the hospital after being involved in the frightening crash on the descent of the Cipressa during
Milano-Sanremo Women 2026.
The Laboral Kutxa rider was at the centre of the most dramatic moment of the incident, going headfirst over the roadside barrier and falling several metres onto a lower section of road as she tried to avoid the Kasia Niewiadoma and Kim Le Court pile-up in the scariest moment of the whole crash.
The incident came at a critical point in the race. The Cipressa had already begun to thin out the peloton, with the finale starting to take shape before chaos broke out on the descent. The severity of the incident was immediately clear on live television, with Silvestri seen lying on a lower section of road after being thrown over the barrier while trying to avoid the initial crash.
Laboral Kutxa-Euskadi quickly issued an update afterwards, confirming that Silvestri “has suffered a crash on the descent of the Cipressa”, that she is “conscious and on her way to hospital to receive treatment”, and that further information on her condition will follow in the coming hours.
Crash casts shadow over Kopecky victory
While the race did continue, the crash inevitably cast a shadow over the finale. Riders caught up in the incident were either eliminated from contention or forced to chase back on, changing the shape of the race before the Poggio.
From there, the decisive move eventually formed on the final climb, with a small front group going clear to fight for victory in Sanremo. Lotte Kopecky then finished it off on the Via Roma, sprinting to victory ahead of Noemi Ruegg and Eleonora Gasparrini to win the second edition of
Milano-Sanremo Women.
That underlined the mood around the race’s conclusion. Kopecky had taken one of the biggest wins of her career, but the sporting result was not the only thing people were thinking about after the line. The condition of the riders caught up in the Cipressa crash, and Silvestri in particular, after her terrifying fall, remained a major concern.
UPDATE: Debora Silvestri stable in hospital
Laboral Kutxa-Euskadi have since provided a further update on Debora Silvestri’s condition following her frightening crash on the descent of the Cipressa.
In a medical statement released after her arrival at hospital, the team confirmed that Silvestri is now in a stable condition after being treated by race and emergency medical services.
She remains under observation in hospital and will undergo further tests in the coming hours to assess the full extent of her injuries.
The update offers some reassurance after the severity of the incident, which saw Silvestri go headfirst over the roadside barrier and fall several metres onto a lower section of road in one of the most alarming moments of the race.