Image 1 of 3 Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) at the team presentation for Paris-Roubaix (Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa) Image 2 of 3 Francisco Ventoso and Andre Amador go to the start lie (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea) Image 3 of 3 Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Francisco Ventoso’s (Movistar) Paris-Roubaix ended with the former Spanish champion being taken to hospital with a deep wound in his leg. According to a report on the Spanish website El Periodico, Ventoso’s injuries were sustained as a result of a disc brake.

Ventoso came down on the Quérénaing à Maing sector of pavé, around the 140km mark. He later posted a photo of himself following the incident on Twitter. The Movistar rider looks dazed as greeted by directeur sportif Chente García Acosta and his left leg is heavily bandaged just below the knee.

“It was so deep that you could see the tibia,” García Acosta told El Periodico.

The article reports that the disc brake was from the bike of a Direct Energie rider although does not name who. Direct Energie was one of a number teams trialling the disc brake system at the Classics. Lampre-Merida also began testing the system while the Pro Continental outfit Roompot have been using it since the beginning of the season. Cyclingnews contacted both Movistar and Direct Energie, both were unavailable to comment.

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There has been a lot of debate on the subject of disc brakes since the UCI allowed their use in the peloton and some have raised their concerns about potential hazard they possess, however this appears to the be the first incident caused by one – should it be confirmed that this is the case. Following the incident, riders Manuel Quinziato and Joaquim Rodriguez wrote on Twitter that while the braking system is good in practice they need to have some form of protection on them.

Ventoso has undergone surgery to ‘apply suture and drain on his cut’ and will fly home today (Tuesday). It’s not clear when he will be able to return to racing.

Movistar’s Imanol Erviti had a much better day out compared to his teammate, making it into the break and taking ninth place.