The fate of Mathieu Van Der Pol, who had enjoyed the greatest joy in road cycling after winning the Tour of Flanders, was shattered when the Dutch champion crashed into a drainage ditch in the storm-ravaged Drydagse Bruges des Pannees.

Van der Pol was in the lead group with 16km to go after strong winds shattered the race, but as he attempted to climb to the left side of the group's roadside, he was caught in a gust of wind and fell head first into a deep culvert.

Alpecin Phoenix confirmed that Van der Pol suffered a mild concussion. Team manager Christoph Roodhooft told Sporza that he had "severe neck pain, headache, and nausea."

Team doctors evaluated Van der Poel and confirmed a concussion, but said he did not need to go to the hospital and would be monitored over the next few days.

Rudhoeft said the crash occurred when final winner Yves Lampaert's Deceuninck-Quickstep team tried to jump into the pack.

"On the last with a crosswind, Mathieu went off the road. It was not by someone's rear wheel. He was pushed off the road as the Deceuninck-Quickstep riders tried to pull everything to one side. It was very unlucky for him

"There was a very deep ditch on the side and he went into it. He said his neck hurt, he had a headache, and he felt nauseous. He probably really fell on his head.