Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) has suffered a fractured right shoulder after being involved in a crash at a non-UCI criterium held on May 29 in Lekkerkerk, the Netherlands.
The former world champion joined a high-quality field for the popular one-day, multi-race Ronde van Lekkerkerk, but a crash during the criterium caused Van Dijk to go down near the end of the race.
Van Dijk's team, Lidl-Trek, confirmed her injury on Friday morning.
"We can confirm that Ellen van Dijk was taken to hospital after a crash at a local bike race yesterday & scans have indicated a fracture of the right shoulder, but at this time, no surgery is required," the team announced.
"If there are any further updates to be shared, we will let you know, and news about her return to racing will be communicated in due time."
Organisers of the Ronde van Lekkerkerk confirmed that Van Dijk "fell hard in the final of the criterium" and, in a statement, noted that they made the quick decision to cancel the race.
"As an organisation, we wish Ellen van Dijk much strength and a speedy and good recovery."
Van Dijk had competed in the time trial earlier that day, finishing second place to Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), while Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) was third in the race against the clock.
Race organisers stated that, during the afternoon criterium, Van der Breggen, Vos, and Loes Adegeest (FDJ-Suez) formed an early breakaway, before Femke Markus (also SD Worx-Protime) counterattacked in what turned into a solo move. The crash happened at just over an hour into the race.
"Behind [Markus], it was Van Dijk who did the work together with a few other riders in the chase, until the moment of the nasty crash. It was then quickly decided to neutralise the race and then to abandon it," organisers detailed the timing of the incident on the event website.
Van Dijk has enjoyed a strong spring campaign that saw her win the opening time trial and the overall classification at the Vuelta a Extremadura Femenina, eighth at the Tour of Flanders, second at Amstel Gold Race, and then another victory in the opening team time trial at La Vuelta Femenina, where she wore the first leader's jersey of the seven-day race.
Van Dijk is a former three-time time trial world champion, winning rainbow jerseys in 2013, 2021 and 2022, and former UCI Hour Record holder, setting the benchmark in Grenchen, Switzerland in 2022.
She took 18 months away from racing at the end of 2022 to give birth to her first child, and returned to the peloton in February of 2024.
