Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel suffers multiple fractures in training crash

Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel has suffered multiple fractures after a crash while training on Tuesday, his Soudal-QuickStep team have said.

Reports in his native Belgium said Evenepoel crashed when the door of a post van was opened as he was passing it, with images on social media showing his gold bike lying on the ground, its frame snapped.

A statement from Soudal-QuickStep said: “Following an incident while training today, Remco Evenepoel was taken to hospital where it was revealed that he has sustained fractures to his rib, right shoulder blade and his right hand.”

The team then issued a further update on Tuesday evening, adding: “Examinations have also revealed contusions on both lungs and a luxation of the clavicle.”

Evenepoel, 24, was taken to the Erasmus hospital in Anderlecht following the crash and was subsequently moved to the Herentals hospital to have an operation on his collarbone.

Soudal-QuickStep manager Patrick Lefevere told Belgian website Sporza: “His bike broke in two in that incident, but it’s better to split his bike in two than his arm.”

Earlier this year, Evenepoel won both the men’s road race and time trial at the Olympics in Paris.