His first stint of the season concludes after just three days for Maxim Van Gils. The Belgian, as announced by Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe late last night, has suffered a pelvic fracture during the violent crash that occurred at the end of the Clásica Jaén, a race won by Tim Wellens in which he, along with Tom Pidcock and Jan Christen, was fighting for a podium spot.

What proved fatal for the physical integrity of the Brasschaat native was the ill-advised deviation made by the Swiss rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG during the final three-rider sprint, who, by pushing him towards the barriers at full speed, triggered a devastating tumble from which Van Gils emerged with a clearly painful expression.

After going to the hospital for the necessary clinical examinations, the former Lotto rider learned the extent of the consequences from the impact with the asphalt of Avenida Cristo Rey, an unfortunate accident that, as reported by his team, will keep him sidelined for "the next few months".

The news is clearly a cold shower for the recent Tour of Norway winner, especially considering the condition he displayed yesterday on the dirt roads of Andalusia and the third place conquered at the end of January at the Trofeo Andratx-Pollença. He will most likely need to rethink his race program, which originally had the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège circled in red as the main objectives for the first part of the season.