Peloton of women cyclists racing on coastal roads in Sanremo during the Sanremo Women one-day race.

The Cipressa descent crash that rocked women's Milan-San Remo finale

Kasia Niewiadoma hit the barriers while chasing on the descent, triggering a multi-rider crash

By Peter Stuart · · 3 min read

A serious crash on the Cipressa descent disrupted the women's Milan-San Remo on Saturday, March 21, with multiple riders falling less than 20km from the finish, at least one thrown over roadside barriers and left on the ground for several minutes. The incident removed several race favourites from contention less than 20km from the finish.

Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) hit the armco on the descent while chasing Lieke Nooijen (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women), who had gone clear over the top of the Cipressa. The fall brought down Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) and two riders from Human Powered Health. Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech), the British champion, also crashed but was reported as quickly back on her bike.

Debora Silvestri from Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi went over the barriers at the side of the road, falling several metres, and remained on the ground for an extended period. Her condition was initially unclear, and caused the most concern among commentators and fans. Niewiadoma was also in visible pain after the fall.

Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi posted an update that Silvestri was in hospital being assessed, but was conscious.

Silvestri later posted on Instagram: "I feel quite good, 5 ribs broken and micro fracture on shoulder... could be worse."

The team followed with the update: "The team’s medical staff are confident that her condition will keep improving. We will continue to provide updates on her progress."

How the crash unfolded

The incident came at the end of an aggressive final hour in which repeated attacks on the Cipressa had already fragmented the bunch. Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto drove the pace early on the climb through Soraya Paladin, before Niewiadoma attacked with around 1.7km of the climb remaining. Le Court-Pienaar followed her wheel, while Mavi Garcia lifted the tempo for UAE Team ADQ.

Nooijen, who had been active for Visma | Lease a Bike Women alongside teammate Femke de Vries, went clear over the summit and started the descent with roughly a 20-second advantage. The chase behind was stretched and disorganised. Niewiadoma pressed hard on the descent to close the gap, then lost control on a turn.

The crash spread to riders immediately behind her - Le Court-Pienaar, the two Human Powered Health riders and Couzens all went down in the same incident. Silvestri's fall over the barriers was the most alarming moment, with the rider remaining motionless on the ground as the race continued ahead.

The crash had an immediate tactical impact. Several riders, including Niewiadoma, who had been among the strongest on the Cipressa were either out entirely or delayed, altering both the composition of the front group and the quality of any organised chase heading into the Poggio – where Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx–Protime) found herself in the lead group of five before taking the sprint win from the select group.

Before the crash, the race had followed a pattern familiar from recent editions: a battle of attrition on the Cipressa, with the strongest teams trying to thin the field before the final climb. Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto, AG Insurance-Soudal and Visma | Lease a Bike Women had all committed riders to the front. After the crash, the race shifted from a contest of tactics to one shaped by who had survived the descent unscathed.

Further medical details on those involved in the crash are still awaited.

Milan–Sanremo Donne results

Results

Genova - Sanremo • Mar 21 • 156km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
BE flagLotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME3:47:17
🥈
CH flagNoemi Rüegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
🥉
IT flagEleonora Camilla Gasparrini
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
4
NL flagPuck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:00
5
PL flagDominika Wlodarczyk
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:04
6
NL flagLorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:09
7
NZ flagAlly Marée Wollaston
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:09
8
IT flagElisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+0:09
9
NL flagCharlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:09
10
IT flagChiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:09
11
GB flagPfeiffer Zara Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:09
12
GB flagCat Ferguson
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:09
13
ES flagUsoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:09
14
NL flagThalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:09
15
DK flagAmalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+0:09
16
NL flagEline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+0:09
17
IT flagLetizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:09
18
IT flagSilvia Persico
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:09
19
IT flagMonica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:09
20
FR flagCedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:09
21
NO flagMie Bjørndal Ottestad
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:09
22
NL flagDaniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:09
23
ES flagMargarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:09
24
IT flagGaia Segato
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:09
25
FR flagJuliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:09
26
CA flagSarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:09
27
NL flagFemke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:09
28
FR flagAude Biannic
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:09
29
NL flagEva van Agt
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:09
30
NL flagRiejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+0:09
31
DE flagRicarda Bauernfeind
LIDL - TREK+0:09
32
DE flagRosa Klöser
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:19
33
NZ flagNiamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+0:22
34
BE flagMargot Vanpachtenbeke
LIDL - TREK+0:22
35
NL flagLieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:22
36
IT flagArianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:22
37
FR flagEmilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:22
38
FR flagIndia Grangier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:22
39
IT flagChiara Reghini
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:22
40
FR flagEma Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+0:22
41
FR flagMarine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+0:22
42
IT flagAlessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:22
43
FR flagTitia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:22
44
CA flagClara Emond
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:22
45
NL flagMaya Kingma
AROMITALIA VAIANO+0:27
46
PL flagKarolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+0:27
47
US flagCaroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:40
48
NL flagRosita Reijnhout
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:43
49
NL flagMaud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+1:16
50
CZ flagNikola Nosková
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+1:16
51
NL flagAnouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+1:23
52
AT flagChristina Schweinberger
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+2:31
53
IT flagFrancesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+2:31
54
NL flagAnneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+3:56
55
CA flagAlison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+3:56
56
NL flagNina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+3:56
57
IT flagGiulia Giuliani
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+3:56
58
UA flagYuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+3:56
59
NO flagIngvild Gåskjenn
UNO-X MOBILITY+3:56
60
HU flagKata Blanka Vas
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+3:56
61
CU flagArlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+3:56
62
GB flagAlice Madeleine Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:56
63
FR flagAlice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+3:56
64
BE flagAudrey de Keersmaeker
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+3:56
65
NL flagEsmée Peperkamp
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+3:56
66
GB flagMillie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+4:01
67
SE flagStina Kagevi
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+5:27
68
IT flagGiulia Bisso
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+6:53
69
IT flagLetizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+6:53
70
IT flagElisa de Vallier
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+6:53
71
IT flagCarlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+6:53
72
IT flagIrene Cagnazzo
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+6:53
73
NL flagSabrina Stultiens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+6:53
74
GB flagJosie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+6:53
75
AU flagJosie Talbot
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+6:53
76
NL flagLucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+6:53
77
FR flagMargaux Vigie
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+6:53
78
IT flagNadia Quagliotto
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+6:53
79
PL flagMarta Lach
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+7:34
80
IT flagMarta Pavesi
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+7:34
81
AU flagBrodie Chapman
UAE TEAM ADQ+7:34
82
IT flagAndrea Casagranda
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+7:34
83
NL flagFemke Gerritse
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+7:34
84
AU flagTiffany Cromwell
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+7:34
85
IT flagSofia Arici
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+7:34
86
US flagHeidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+7:34
87
ES flagSara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+7:34
88
IT flagVittoria Guazzini
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+7:34
89
IT flagGaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+7:34
90
CO flagJuliana Londoño David
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+7:34
91
AU flagAlexandra Grace Manly
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+7:34
92
AU flagRuby Roseman-Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+7:34
93
FR flagJade Wiel
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+7:34
94
NZ flagElla Wyllie
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+7:34
95
GB flagFlora Perkins
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+7:34
96
CA flagOlivia Baril
MOVISTAR TEAM+7:34
97
NL flagNicole Steigenga
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+7:34
98
ES flagMireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+7:34
99
Mary Patricia Kimberley le Court de Billot - Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+7:34
100
CH flagLinda Zanetti
UNO-X MOBILITY+10:42
101
IT flagElena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+10:42
102
BY flagAlena Amialiusik
UAE TEAM ADQ+10:42
103
PL flagAgnieszka Skalniak-Sójka
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+10:42
104
FR flagCélia Gery
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+10:42
105
FR flagConstance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+10:42
106
IT flagSoraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+10:42
107
NL flagMarit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+10:42
108
IT flagVirginia Bortoli
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+10:42
109
NL flagBodine Vollering
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+10:42
110
LT flagRasa Leleivytė
AROMITALIA VAIANO+10:42
111
FR flagVictoire Berteau
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+10:42
112
NL flagMylene de Zoete
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+10:42
113
IT flagFrancesca Pellegrini
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:00
114
IT flagLara Crestanello
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+12:00
115
IT flagMatilde Vitillo
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+12:00
116
IT flagGiorgia Serena
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+12:00
117
IT flagSonia Rossetti
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+12:00
118
IT flagCamilla Bezzone
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+12:00
119
GR flagArgyro Milaki
AROMITALIA VAIANO+12:00
120
CA flagKiara Lylyk
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+12:00
121
AF flagFariba Hashimi
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+12:00
122
IT flagKatia Ragusa
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+12:00
123
IT flagValentina Zanzi
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+12:00
124
IT flagValeria Curnis
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+12:00
125
IT flagIrma Siri
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+12:00
126
IT flagChantal Pegolo
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+12:00
127
IT flagEleonora la Bella
AROMITALIA VAIANO+12:00
128
SM flagValentina Venerucci
AROMITALIA VAIANO+12:00
129
IT flagRachele Barbieri
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:00
130
SI flagŠpela Kern
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+12:00
131
GB flagFrancesca Jay Hall
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+12:00
132
IT flagAnita Baima
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+12:00
133
IT flagIlaria Marinetto
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+12:00
134
IT flagAlice Maria Arzuffi
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+12:00
135
IT flagVittoria Ruffilli
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+12:00
136
IT flagSara Luccon
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+12:00
137
NZ flagHenrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+12:00
138
DK flagSolbjørk Anderson
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+12:00
139
BY flagHanna Tserakh
AROMITALIA VAIANO+13:19
Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist, and then Rouleur. Before joining Cyclist in 2012, he completed freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.