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

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

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. Niewiadoma was also reported to be in visible pain after the fall.

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

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 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

Elite Women Results

Genova - Sanremo • Mar 21 • 156km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Lotte KOPECKY
Team SD Worx-Protime3:47:17
🥈
Noemi RÜEGG
EF Education-Oatly+0:00
🥉
Eleonora Camilla GASPARRINI
UAE Team ADQ+0:00
4
Puck PIETERSE
Fenix-Premier Tech+0:00
5
Dominika WŁODARCZYK
UAE Team ADQ+0:04
6
Lorena WIEBES
Team SD Worx-Protime+0:09
7
Ally Marée WOLLASTON
FDJ United-SUEZ+0:09
8
Elisa BALSAMO
Lidl-Trek+0:09
9
Charlotte KOOL
Fenix-Premier Tech+0:09
10
Chiara CONSONNI
CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto+0:09
11
Pfeiffer Zara GEORGI
Team Picnic PostNL+0:09
12
Cat FERGUSON
Movistar Team+0:09
13
Usoa OSTOLAZA ZABALA
Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi+0:09
14
Thalita DE JONG
Human Powered Health+0:09
15
Amalie DIDERIKSEN
Cofidis Women Team+0:09
16
Eline JANSEN
VolkerWessels Cycling Team+0:09
17
Letizia BORGHESI
AG Insurance-Soudal Team+0:09
18
Silvia PERSICO
UAE Team ADQ+0:09
19
Monica TRINCA COLONEL
Liv-AlUla-Jayco+0:09
20
Cedrine KERBAOL
EF Education-Oatly+0:09
21
Mie Bjørndal OTTESTAD
Uno-X Mobility+0:09
22
Daniek HENGEVELD
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+0:09
23
Margarita Victoria GARCIA CAÑELLAS
UAE Team ADQ+0:09
24
Gaia SEGATO
Vini Fantini-Bepink+0:09
25
Juliette BERTHET
FDJ United-SUEZ+0:09
26
Sarah VAN DAM
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+0:09
27
Femke DE VRIES
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+0:09
28
Aude BIANNIC
Movistar Team+0:09
29
Eva VAN AGT
FDJ United-SUEZ+0:09
30
Riejanne MARKUS
Lidl-Trek+0:09
31
Ricarda BAUERNFEIND
Lidl-Trek+0:09
32
Rosa KLÖSER
CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto+0:19
33
Niamh Mary FISHER-BLACK
Lidl-Trek+0:22
34
Margot VANPACHTENBEKE
Lidl-Trek+0:22
35
Lieke NOOIJEN
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+0:22
36
Arianna FIDANZA
Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi+0:22
37
Emilie MORIER
St Michel-Préférence Home-Auber93+0:22
38
India GRANGIER
St Michel-Préférence Home-Auber93+0:22
39
Chiara REGHINI
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo+0:22
40
Ema COMTE
Cofidis Women Team+0:22
41
Marine ALLIONE
Mayenne Monbana My Pie+0:22
42
Alessia VIGILIA
Uno-X Mobility+0:22
43
Titia RYO
Human Powered Health+0:22
44
Clara EMOND
St Michel-Préférence Home-Auber93+0:22
45
Maya KINGMA
Aromitalia Vaiano+0:27
46
Karolina PEREKITKO
Mayenne Monbana My Pie+0:27
47
Caroline WRESZIN
St Michel-Préférence Home-Auber93+0:40
48
Rosita REIJNHOUT
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+0:43
49
Maud RIJNBEEK
VolkerWessels Cycling Team+1:16
50
Nikola NOSKOVÁ
Cofidis Women Team+1:16
51
Anouska KOSTER
Uno-X Mobility+1:23
52
Christina SCHWEINBERGER
Fenix-Premier Tech+2:31
53
Francesca BARALE
Movistar Team+2:31
54
Anneke DIJKSTRA
VolkerWessels Cycling Team+3:56
55
Alison JACKSON
St Michel-Préférence Home-Auber93+3:56
56
Nina BUIJSMAN
Human Powered Health+3:56
57
Giulia GIULIANI
Team Mendelspeck E-Work+3:56
58
Yuliia BIRIUKOVA
Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi+3:56
59
Ingvild GÅSKJENN
Uno-X Mobility+3:56
60
Kata Blanka VAS
Team SD Worx-Protime+3:56
61
Arlenis SIERRA CANADILLA
Movistar Team+3:56
62
Alice Madeleine TOWERS
EF Education-Oatly+3:56
63
Alice COUTINHO
Mayenne Monbana My Pie+3:56
64
Audrey DE KEERSMAEKER
Team Picnic PostNL+3:56
65
Esmée PEPERKAMP
VolkerWessels Cycling Team+3:56
66
Millie COUZENS
Fenix-Premier Tech+4:01
67
Stina KAGEVI
EF Education-Oatly+5:27
68
Giulia BISSO
Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria+6:53
69
Letizia PATERNOSTER
Liv-AlUla-Jayco+6:53
70
Elisa DE VALLIER
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo+6:53
71
Carlotta CIPRESSI
Human Powered Health+6:53
72
Irene CAGNAZZO
Vini Fantini-Bepink+6:53
73
Sabrina STULTIENS
VolkerWessels Cycling Team+6:53
74
Josie NELSON
Team Picnic PostNL+6:53
75
Josie TALBOT
Liv-AlUla-Jayco+6:53
76
Lucinda BRAND
Lidl-Trek+6:53
77
Margaux VIGIE
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+6:53
78
Nadia QUAGLIOTTO
Cofidis Women Team+6:53
79
Marta LACH
Team SD Worx-Protime+7:34
80
Marta PAVESI
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo+7:34
81
Brodie CHAPMAN
UAE Team ADQ+7:34
82
Andrea CASAGRANDA
Vini Fantini-Bepink+7:34
83
Femke GERRITSE
Team SD Worx-Protime+7:34
84
Tiffany CROMWELL
CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto+7:34
85
Sofia ARICI
Vini Fantini-Bepink+7:34
86
Heidi FRANZ
St Michel-Préférence Home-Auber93+7:34
87
Sara MARTIN MARTIN
Movistar Team+7:34
88
Vittoria GUAZZINI
FDJ United-SUEZ+7:34
89
Gaia MASETTI
Team Picnic PostNL+7:34
90
Juliana LONDOÑO DAVID
Team Picnic PostNL+7:34
91
Alexandra Grace MANLY
AG Insurance-Soudal Team+7:34
92
Ruby ROSEMAN-GANNON
Liv-AlUla-Jayco+7:34
93
Jade WIEL
FDJ United-SUEZ+7:34
94
Ella WYLLIE
Liv-AlUla-Jayco+7:34
95
Flora PERKINS
Fenix-Premier Tech+7:34
96
Olivia BARIL
Movistar Team+7:34
97
Nicole STEIGENGA
AG Insurance-Soudal Team+7:34
98
Mireia BENITO PELLICER
AG Insurance-Soudal Team+7:34
99
Kim LE COURT DE BILLOT-PIENAAR
AG Insurance-Soudal Team+7:34
100
Linda ZANETTI
Uno-X Mobility+10:42
101
Elena CECCHINI
Team SD Worx-Protime+10:42
102
Alena AMIALIUSIK
UAE Team ADQ+10:42
103
Agnieszka SKALNIAK-SÓJKA
CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto+10:42
104
Célia GERY
FDJ United-SUEZ+10:42
105
Constance VALENTIN
Mayenne Monbana My Pie+10:42
106
Soraya PALADIN
CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto+10:42
107
Marit RAAIJMAKERS
Human Powered Health+10:42
108
Virginia BORTOLI
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo+10:42
109
Bodine VOLLERING
VolkerWessels Cycling Team+10:42
110
Rasa LELEIVYTĖ
Aromitalia Vaiano+10:42
111
Victoire BERTEAU
Cofidis Women Team+10:42
112
Mylene DE ZOETE
Fenix-Premier Tech+10:42
113
Francesca PELLEGRINI
Uno-X Mobility+12:00
114
Lara CRESTANELLO
Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria+12:00
115
Matilde VITILLO
Liv-AlUla-Jayco+12:00
116
Giorgia SERENA
Team Mendelspeck E-Work+12:00
117
Sonia ROSSETTI
Vini Fantini-Bepink+12:00
118
Camilla BEZZONE
Team Mendelspeck E-Work+12:00
119
Argyro MILAKI
Aromitalia Vaiano+12:00
120
Kiara LYLYK
Mayenne Monbana My Pie+12:00
121
Fariba HASHIMI
Vini Fantini-Bepink+12:00
122
Katia RAGUSA
Human Powered Health+12:00
123
Valentina ZANZI
Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria+12:00
124
Valeria CURNIS
Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria+12:00
125
Irma SIRI
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo+12:00
126
Chantal PEGOLO
Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria+12:00
127
Eleonora LA BELLA
Aromitalia Vaiano+12:00
128
Valentina VENERUCCI
Aromitalia Vaiano+12:00
129
Rachele BARBIERI
Team Picnic PostNL+12:00
130
Špela KERN
Cofidis Women Team+12:00
131
Francesca Jay HALL
Mayenne Monbana My Pie+12:00
132
Anita BAIMA
Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria+12:00
133
Ilaria MARINETTO
Team Mendelspeck E-Work+12:00
134
Alice Maria ARZUFFI
Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi+12:00
135
Vittoria RUFFILLI
Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi+12:00
136
Sara LUCCON
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo+12:00
137
Henrietta CHRISTIE
EF Education-Oatly+12:00
138
Solbjørk ANDERSON
EF Education-Oatly+12:00
139
Hanna TSERAKH
Aromitalia Vaiano+13:19

Cover image credit: Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse

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 having joined Cyclist in 2012 after 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.

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