Marlen Reusser’s participation in this year’s Tour of Flanders ended abruptly following a serious crash just 10 kilometres into the race. The accident resulted in multiple injuries for the Swiss rider, including a fractured jaw, both ear canals and damage to eight teeth. Further examinations at the Inselspital in Bern confirmed the extent of Reusser’s injuries. The 32-year-old is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday and is expected to wear splints for approximately four weeks. Despite the setback, the Olympic silver medallist and three-time European time trial champion remains optimistic about her recovery. “I’m doing well and I’m in good spirits that I’ll soon be completely healthy again,” Reusser conveyed through her team, SD Worx.
The incident, which also involved Lotte Kopecky from Reusser’s team, was unavoidable according to Reusser. Kopecky, victorious in Flanders the past two years, managed to rejoin the race, contrasting the fortunes of British riders Lizzie Deignan and Monica Greenwood, who were forced to abandon following the crash. Reusser, who had previously finished in the top 10 in the last three editions of the Flanders Tour, had high hopes dashed by the early accident.
In contrast to Reusser’s misfortune, the Tour of Flanders ended with Elisa Longo Borghini celebrating her second victory in the prestigious event. The Italian from Lidl-Trek outpaced Katarzyna Niewiadoma and teammate Shirin van Anrooij in a thrilling sprint finish among the leading trio. Meanwhile, for SD Worx, Lotte Kopecky concluded the race in fifth place, marking a challenging day for the SD Worx-Protime team amidst the challenging conditions of the Flanders route.
