Fem van Empel narrowly prevented catastrophe within the breakaway on the Trofeo Alfredo Binda on Sunday, nearly lacking out on colliding with a spectator who was crossing the street whereas the race was ongoing.
The Dutch Visma-Lease a Bike racer took to social media to explain her expertise of the Ladies’s WorldTour race, which noticed her make the day’s early breakaway transfer with 13 different riders.
In a publish on Instagram, Van Empel stated that she was in a position to keep away from the person, who had determined to cross the street in entrance of the race on a downhill part of the route.
Nevertheless, she stated that others in transfer – together with Thalita de Jong (Human Powered Well being) – weren’t so fortunate. De Jong was amongst a number of riders unable to keep away from a collision and got here away with a damaged collarbone because of this.
“There was a person crossing the street on the descent forward of me,” Van Empel wrote in an Instagram story after the race. “May simply keep away from it, however there have been a few women that crashed actually badly.
“Stopped and tried to assist as greatest I might. That is a part of biking, however the way in which this occurred I can not perceive. Speedy restoration women.”
De Jong replied to Van Empel’s publish, writing “Thanks a lot Fem on your care of me.”
Each riders would find yourself on the DNF record for the race, the sixth spherical of the 2025 Ladies’s WorldTour.
De Jong seems to have come off the worst within the incident. The 31-year-old, who received the Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx in January, underwent surgical procedure on her damaged collarbone after the race and she or he’s set to be dominated out of racing for a number of weeks because of this.
In the long run, it was Elisa Balsmao (Lidl-Trek) who got here out on prime on the race, the Italian triumphing for the third time in her profession. Balsamo beat Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) and Cat Ferguson (Movistar) to the road after an exhilarating remaining which noticed a powerful group of late attackers caught through the remaining kilometres of the 152km race.
