TakeWorlds2 weeks ago
Le Court-Pienaar's season ends after Worlds crash tears quad
Kim Le Court-Pienaar crashed with about 95km remaining in the elite women's road race at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montreal on September 26, in a crash involving more than a dozen riders that split the peloton. She finished the race in 45th place despite the crash. Medical examination confirmed a small tear in her quadriceps muscle, and AG Insurance-Soudal says she will not compete in the Italian Classics races planned for autumn, ending her 2026 season early to focus on recovery.
What this means
Le Court-Pienaar's planned autumn Italian Classics campaign is cancelled and her 2026 season is over.
The crash happened on one of the faster sections of the Mount Royal circuit. Le Court-Pienaar had been considered one of the riders capable of challenging for the rainbow jersey before the race. The world title went to Demi Vollering, with Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney second and Elisa Longo Borghini third. Le Court-Pienaar's 2026 season was earlier interrupted by a fractured wrist at the Tour of Flanders in April. Between those setbacks she won stage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes in August and took the overall title at the Tour of Britain Women later that month.
Sources
Kim Le Court-Pienaar ends season after World Championships crashKim Le Court-Pienaar ends 2026 season after quadriceps tear from World Championships crashKim Le Court-Pienaar ends season after World Championships crash2026 UCI Road World Championships – Women's road raceTour de France Femmes: Kim Le Court-Pienaar surges from small pack for stunning win on stage 6Kim Le Court-Pienaar comes full circle at Tour of Britain Women to take her first-ever GC victory
Analysed 6 sources, written and summarised with AI · How we work