"He has a lot of pain in his left arm": Joran Wyseure stretchered off after heavy start line crash in Maasmechelen

The UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Maasmechelen began with a moment of serious concern on Saturday, as Joran Wyseure was carried off the course on a stretcher following a heavy crash just meters after the starting gun. He is skipping Hoogerheide and his participation in next weekend’s World Championships is very much in doubt.

The 25-year-old Belgian was positioned on the second row of the grid. As the pack launched off the tarmac start line, Wyseure appeared to slip out of his pedals, losing control instantly and hitting the deck hard.

The crash triggered a chain reaction in the bunch, taking down Dutch contender Pim Ronhaar and causing chaos for several riders behind. While Ronhaar initially attempted to remount before eventually abandoning the race, Wyseure remained on the ground and never tried to continue the race, visibly in pain.

The race continued while Wyseure received treatment from medical staff on the side of the course for approximately 15 minutes. Marshals were forced to usher lapping riders past the scene until Wyseure could be safely immobilized and removed on a stretcher.

He was subsequently transported to the hospital for further checks. While his team Crelan-Corendon has not yet released a full medical report, Sports Director Kris Wouters provided a worrying initial assessment to Sporza. "He has a lot of pain in his left arm and he looks a bit confused after the crash," Wouters said.

The timing could not be worse for the former Under-23 World Champion, with the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships scheduled to take place next weekend in Hulst.

While the medical team took care of Wyseure, the race unfolded into a dramatic battle on a fast and treacherous course. The winner was not a surprise, as Mathieu van der Poel secured his eleventh victory of the season, but he had to survive crashes around him, two punctures and a delayed bike change.

It was a dominant day for the Alpecin-Premier Tech squad, who locked out the podium positions. Tibor Del Grosso finished second, with Niels Vandeputte taking third.