Vuelta Femenina | Stitches in Ellen van Dijk’s chin after fall – also bruised shoulder and knee

Things went wrong after almost sixteen kilometers in the last corner of the team time trial, while Lidl-Trek was on its way to by far the fastest time. Van Dijk suddenly slipped and Elynor Backstedt could no longer avoid her. The two stay behind for some time, while the remaining core drove to the finish as quickly as possible.

While Gaia Realini crossed the line first in Valencia – and thus secured the red jersey for now – the damage was assessed by Backstedt and Van Dijk. Not much is known about Backstedt yet, but there is now a medical update regarding Van Dijk.

That update apparently does not mention serious injuries, but a wind on your chin that needs stitches is of course just annoying. And the shoulder and knee also took a hit. It is not yet certain whether Van Dijk will start during stage two.

The returned Van Dijk is an important factor within the Lidl-Trek team. She rode a strong spring and did a lot of heavy work for Elisa Longo Borghini, who will start in Spain as a major challenger to Demi Vollering.