Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel has suffered severe injuries after plunging into a ravine during the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday.

A favorite to win the one-day classic that finishes at Lake Como, the 20-year-old lost control of his bicycle while on a steep downhill section, running into a wall and falling six meters into a ravine.

He was moved to the Sant-Anna hospital in Como with a fractured pelvis, right lung contusion, bruising and cuts.

Deceuninck-QuickStep team manager Patrick Lefevere stated that the cyclist's season was now "practically over."

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"Remco suffered multiple injuries," the team said. "[He] was conscious at all times as he underwent a series of examinations to reveal the extent of his injury.

"Unfortunately, the X-rays showed a fractured pelvis and a right lung contusion, which will keep him on the sidelines for the upcoming period. Our rider will remain in the hospital overnight under observation, before flying on Sunday to Belgium."

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Evenepoel had secured first place in a four-stage race – the Tour de San Juan, Tour of the Algarve, Tour de Burgos and the Tour of Poland – last weekend, and was considered a top contender in Saturday's competition.

Instead, Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang won the 231-kilometer race from Bergamo to Como, beating New Zealand's George Bennett by 31 seconds.

"George Bennett told me while we were riding that Remco had fallen," said Fuglsang. 

"I hope he's okay, it's not the way you want the race to finish for anyone."

Evenepoel was one of seven riders at the top of the Wall of Sormano, about 50 kilometers from the finish, when he crashed.

He was later seen being taken away from the site of the incident, visibly in pain and wearing a neck brace.

It was the second serious crash for the Deceuninck-Quick Step team in just over a week, Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen having been severely injured on the opening day of the Tour of Poland.

He was put in a medically-induced coma but after undergoing surgery, he was returned home to the Netherlands this week.

Getting under way in Bergamo, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, the Tour of Lombardy was brought forward from its usual date of October because of the rescheduled calendar.

With Italy counting over 16,000 deaths due to the pandemic, a minute's silence was observed before the race in honor of the victims of the virus.

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