Pauline Ferrand-Prévot crashed during the World Cup short track race in Nove Mesto Friday and abandoned the race. She later posted an update on Instagram saying that she had suffered minor injuries.
While riding in the front group, the World Champion lost her front wheel while going off of a jump, possibly due to the slick, muddy conditions. She quickly jumped back on her bike to rejoin the race, however, cameras later showed her lying on the side of the track and gripping the left side of her abdomen.
Commentator Rob Warner initially reported that Ferrand-Prévot had been loaded into an ambulance. Later in the broadcast, he said that the racer had "gone to hospital for some checks but everything hopefully is going to be alright."
After the race, Ferrand-Prévot posted on Instagram a picture that shows a swollen bump on the side of her face. She also said that her saddle hit her stomach so she momentarily couldn't breathe, which explains why she was seen on the side of the track in visible discomfort.
"I lost the front wheel and I hit the blue mark in my face," the post reads. "The saddle also hit quite hard my stomach, which [cut] my breathing. They wanted to do exams to see if everything was normal."
Ferrand-Prévot won last week's short track race in Albstadt, Germany, and looked strong in the opening laps before her crash, closely following the wheels of riders like Loana Lecomte and eventual winner Haley Batten.
It is unclear if Ferrand-Prévot will line up for the women's XCO race on Sunday, which starts at 11:20 CEST.
Shortly after the women's race, the men set off at a blistering pace that did not allow anybody to get away from the front group. It came down to a photo finish sprint between Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock, which was won by the Dutchman. Pidcock said after the race that he couldn't shift into his biggest gear.
Les images de la violente chute de Pauline Ferrand Prévôt. Croisons les doigts 🤞 #MBWorldCup pic.twitter.com/0TIQLYfCpEMay 14, 2021
