Reusser Faces Two Months Out With Vertebral Fracture as Le Court-Pienaar Requires Surgery After Brutal Flanders Crash
The full toll of Sunday's crash-marred Tour of Flanders Women has become painfully clear, with Marlen Reusser confirmed to have fractured a vertebra in her lower back and facing up to two months on the sidelines. Team-mate Kim Le Court-Pienaar will undergo surgery on a fractured wrist in the coming days, ruling her out for at least five weeks. Both riders were involved in a major pile-up just before the Koppenberg, one of the most decisive moments in the race.
For Reusser, the injury is particularly cruel. The Swiss rider had arrived at Flanders in the form of her life, having won Dwars door Vlaanderen just four days earlier in a thrilling photo-finish sprint against Demi Vollering. She was considered a genuine favourite for Flanders itself, but never got the chance to contest the final. A vertebral fracture is one of the more serious injuries in the peloton, requiring careful management and a prolonged absence from competition. Reusser remained in hospital for observation before being allowed home.
"The damage proved worse than initially feared," a team spokesperson confirmed. "Marlen will not be able to race for approximately two months. She is in good spirits but the focus now is entirely on recovery." The timeline means Reusser will miss not only Paris-Roubaix Femmes this Sunday but the entire Ardennes campaign including Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. A return in late May or early June is the most optimistic scenario.
Le Court-Pienaar's wrist fracture, while less severe in terms of recovery time, still requires surgical intervention. The Mauritius-born rider was taken to a hospital in Herentals after the crash and is expected to be operated on imminently. A five-week absence would see her target a return in mid-May, potentially in time for the Giro d'Italia Women.
Lorena Wiebes, who was involved in two separate crashes during the chaotic race, escaped with abrasions and bruising and is expected to recover quickly. The Dutch champion did not finish the race but her team confirmed she is "doing well" and should be available for the coming weeks. Elisa Longo Borghini, who suffered a concussion in a separate incident, has since been cleared to return at the Brabantse Pijl.
The cascade of injuries reshuffles the favourites list for the remaining spring Classics. With Reusser out, the Paris-Roubaix Femmes loses one of its strongest contenders, while the Ardennes races will be poorer for the absence of a rider who has consistently proved herself among the best in the world on punchy terrain. For Vollering, Lotte Kopecky, and the returning Longo Borghini, Reusser's absence creates both opportunity and a reminder of the brutal physical cost of spring racing at the highest level.
The 2026 Tour of Flanders Women was marked by multiple crashes throughout the race, raising renewed questions about rider safety on the narrow, cobbled roads of the Flemish Classics. With Paris-Roubaix Femmes this Sunday featuring the toughest route in the race's history, the peloton will be hoping for safer racing conditions in northern France.