Mar 23, 2026
3 min read
Italy's Deborah Silvestri was taken to hospital after a horrific crash, while Tadej Pogacar recovered from a heavy fall to win the men's race.
Italy's Deborah Silvestri was taken to hospital after a horrific crash in the women's Milan-Sanremo Classic, while Tadej Pogacar was bloodied in his own fall before cycling back to win the men's race.
In the women's race, several cyclists crashed, with Silvestri falling over the guardrail as the riders tried to avoid the race.Silvestri's team, Laboral Kutxa, announced that the 27-year-old's condition is stable.The incident occurred on the descent of the famous Cipressa climb, less than 20 km (12 mi) from the finish on the 156 km course.
“After receiving medical attention and emergency treatment, Deborah Silvestri’s condition is currently stable,” Laboral Kutcha said.“She will remain in hospital for the next few hours under medical observation and further tests will be carried out to assess the extent of the injury.”
Both race favorites, Kasia Niviadoma Finney and Kim Le Court Pinar, were also involved in the crash.Niviadoma Finney could not continue, while Le Court Pinar remounted but finished in 99th.
Lotte Kopecky won, beating Noemi Rüegg and Eleonora Gasparrini in a five-rider race.
Pugacar recovered from a crash about 30 km from the finish to pass Tom Pidcock on the track and win for the first time in the race known as La Classicissima.
"When I crashed I thought it was over for a moment because it's not ideal to crash at the Empire right before the most important part of the race," said Pogacar, who rides for the UAE team Emirates."But luckily I got on the bike quickly and didn't do too much damage to me or the bike. Then I saw my team... they dropped everything to get back to the front and gave me hope again and my legs were still good... if there was no team today I probably would have gone straight to the finish line."
Milan-Sanremo is one of the European one-day classics at almost 300 km.It is one of the few titles that has eluded Pogačar, a five-time Grand Tour winner, and the Slovenian has repeatedly admitted that he strongly wants to change that.
His chances appeared to have diminished when Pogakar was hit and tore the left side of his shorts, leaving his legs scratched and cut.Last year's winner Mathieu van der Poel also fell, but the pair managed to get to the back of the peloton at the start of the penultimate Cypressa climb.
Pogacar pushed forward, sinking in the initial attack, then only Pidcock and van der Poel could hold on. The trio were separated by 25 seconds at the summit, but the gap was reduced to 11 seconds as the climb to the Poggio began shortly before the finish.
Pogacar attacked the middle and took down Van der Poel.He tried to shake Pidcock several times but could not get free and they became locked together as they approached the top.
Little can separate them on the way down.Pogacar opened the 200m sprint from the line and Pidcock won by the middle wheel.
"Honestly, I need time to think because now I'm a bit upset because it hurts to be so close," said the Briton.“I was told it was four centimeters.
"Tadej, he's the best cyclist ever, so I can't help but be disappointed... It was so close to winning the monument. But I have to look at it from a bigger perspective. Because I think what I've done is pretty amazing, I'm very proud."
Wout van Aert, who also crashed, finished third.I saw him (Pogacar) next to me when we crashed and the next thing I saw was after the finish," said the Belgian. "I have no idea what he did, but it must have been effective because it was a pretty bad crash and he still managed to get ahead like that.
