Belgian cycling star Wout van Aert will not race in next month's Giro d'Italia due to injuries sustained in a crash two weeks ago.
Van Aert broke his collarbone, sternum and ribs in a high speed crash at the Across Flanders semi classic on March 27.
"Many of my injuries are healing well, but the ribs are limiting me so much that I can't train at all at the moment," Van Aert in a video message on Thursday.
"That's why I won't be racing the Giro d'Italia. I'm very disappointed to also miss my second goal of the season, but at the moment my health comes first."
The Visma rider also missed the recent Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix races following the crash.
Van Aert may now consider competing in the Tour de France starting in late June where two-time reigning champion and team-mate Jonas Vingegaard is also due to race.
Denmark's Vingegaard suffered similar injuries than Van Aert in a fall at last week's Basque Country stage race.
Other prominent crash victims over the past weeks include Belgian time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel and Germany's Lennard Kämna who was hit by a car in a training accident.