Tom Pidcock was one of the hot favourites going into Milan-Sanremo, with his current form and his skills - perfectly suited to the finale - meaning he was set to go to the start line with a real prospect of taking victory.
However, the Ineos Grenadiers rider suffered two crashes at last week's Tirreno Adriatico and is suffering from concussion. He now faces a very frustrating period on the sidelines, at precisely the wrong time for him, and will not ride Milan-Sanremo.
Pidcock's team confirmed he had begun to display the symptoms of concussion after his crash on the final day of Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday. While the team believes the concussion is "mild", the reigning MTB Olympic champion and recent Strade Bianche winner is now under observation to track his symptoms.
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The team said he would be "rested for a prescribed period, in line with established concussion protocols". It is the second known occasion on which Pidcock has suffered concussion. He crashed out of Tour de l'Avenir in 2019, suffering bad facial injuries, broken teeth and concussion.
Ineos Grenadiers deputy team principal, Rod Ellingworth, said Pidcock's forced withdrawal from Milan-Sanremo was "obviously disappointing" for the rider and team, but added the concussion protocols must be followed.
"We saw at Strade Bianche the sort of form he's in and I know how keen he was to carry that into Milan-Sanremo," said Ellingworth of Saturday's race, where the late ascent and descent of the Poggio would have been perfect for Pidcock.
"But rider welfare is our first priority and he'll follow the advice of our medical team to ensure that he's 100 per cent ready to safely resume his classics campaign," Ellingworth added.
