For Elisa Longo Borghini, it was an unfortunate Tour of Flanders, without a doubt, a grueling race that unfortunately ended for her even before it truly began due to a crash less than 100 km from the finish line.

The UAE Adq Team rider was the big favorite to win, defending champion, and after her triumph at Dwars Door Vlaanderen, she had shown she was in top form and had the right grit to launch yet another challenge to her competitors. Just before the Tour of Flanders, she had told us about the great motivation with which she would approach the competition, and to those who said she could be the big favorite, she responded that she would race calmly, without pressure.

Unfortunately, about 96 km from the finish line, even before the Flanders' walls began, a massive group crash occurred right in the front positions. Many athletes were involved, but Elisa, lying on the roadside, appeared to have suffered the worst consequences. The Italian champion, supported by the medical staff and her teammate Silvia Perseco, decided to get back on the bike and try to continue the race, but shortly after she had to raise the white flag.

Certainly seeing her back on the bicycle made us breathe a sigh of relief, but the team's press release revealed that Elisa had to withdraw after showing signs of confusion following a strong blow to the head. Subsequently, she was transported to the hospital in Oudenaard where a diagnosis confirmed a cerebral concussion, but fortunately without signs of internal hemorrhage. Currently, the Italian champion has been transferred to the hospital in Gent to be monitored in the specialized neurology unit, and in the next few hours, she will undergo further examinations to provide a more detailed diagnosis.