Annemiek van Vleuten will miss next week’s world road cycling championships after breaking her left wrist in a crash at the Giro Rosa stage race in Italy on Thursday.
Van Vleuten, a 37-year-old from the Netherlands, will not defend her world title in the road race.
She’s also a two-time world champion in the time trial. Last year, she placed third behind American Chloé Dygert and Dutchwoman Anna van der Breggen in the race of truth at worlds in Great Britain.
In this Olympic cycle, van Vleuten returned to the top of cycling after a horrific crash in the Rio Olympic road race.
She suffered three small spine fractures and a concussion when her brakes appeared to lock, and she flipped into a ditch while leading with about seven miles to go.
The world championships air live on Olympic Channel next week from Imola, Italy. The women’s time trial is Thursday and road race is Saturday.
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On my way to hospital. Stupid crash in front of me in last 500m I could not avoid. 😭@GiroRosaIccrea pic.twitter.com/alTLrHDa1W
— Annemiek van Vleuten (@AvVleuten) September 17, 2020