Australian cyclist Loren Rowney has broken her collarbone in a crash after a spectator reached from the crowd and took her out at the Molecaten Drentse 8 in The Netherlands.

South Africa-born Rowney was part of an eight-woman breakaway and was in a sprint to the finish before falling hard just metres from the line.

Loading

Replays show a member of the crowd stuck his arm over the barrier lining the street course, hitting Rowney's handlebars.

The 26-year-old lay prone on the course for nearly a minute after crawling over the finish line in seventh place and eventually walked away from the crash shortly before the peloton arrived.

She is going to Germany for surgery and Dutch race organisers have begun an investigation.

Giorgia Bronzini won the race while two-time world champion Valentina Scandolara finished second.

"The sprint was a bit sad," Scandolara said.

"I saw Loren crashing. I have seen the video now. I didn't realise that a spectator had hit her until I saw it.

"I was happy for the sprint I had but more sad for the terrible crash that Loren had."