Team Sky lost the team time trial on the final climb (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Team Sky's hopes of a strong performance in Sunday's World Championships team time trial have suffered a major blow with three of their riders taking a heavy fall in training.

Danny Pate, Elia Viviani and Luke Rowe crashed at nearly 60kph while out testing the time trial course. The full extent of their injuries are not yet known.

"It's true that they had a crash," Rod Ellingworth confirmed to Cyclingnews. "Luke, Elia and Danny Pate all came down pretty hard. They're all back at the team hotel but they've all lost plenty of skin that's for sure.

"Danny has lost a lot of skin and it looks like Viviani has banged up his knee. We're still waiting on a full set of check ups to see what the extent of the damage is but obviously this compromises what we were here to do."

According to Ellingworth Team Sky hit a pothole in the road while out riding the course in Richmond.

"There are a lot of holes on the road and they have paint on them but at 60kph, and with such bright sunlight they just might not have seen it. They are banged up and feeling rough at the moment. All we can do now is give them a few hours and a night's sleep. Like I said though, this certainly compromises our race for sure."

Updated:

At the managers' meeting later this afternoon Ellingworth confirmed to Cyclingnews that Viviani was 50-50 to start the time trial and that Danny Pate had lost a lot of skin. The American was the first to crash with Rowe landing on top of him, before Viviani also came down. The squad are determined to start the team time trial but will make calls on the health of their riders in the morning, therefore giving their riders the maximum time to recover.





"We won't make a call on it until tomorrow morning and then we'll decide. As things stand Danny will start too."