World champion Van Vleuten fractures knee in fall

Innsbruck - World time-trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten broke her knee in a fall during Saturday's world championship road race in Innsbruck, she revealed on Sunday.

The Dutch rider won the world time-trial title on Tuesday and was on target for a double before the fall 90km from the finish. Even after crashing, she still finished seventh.

"Can't believe it. So many emotions now. Will heal, but will take time... (weeks)," she wrote underneath an x-ray of her knee posted on her Twitter account.

"I felt okay even if my knee was painful, I can't explain it," she said.

Her compatriot Anna van der Breggen won the road race.

Results from the women's world championships road race, a 156.2km run from Kufstein to Innsbruck on Saturday:

1. Anna var der Breggen (NED) 4hrs 11mins 04sec, 2. Amanda Spratt (AUS) at 3mins 42sec, 3. Tatiana Guderzo (ITA) 5:26, 4. Emilia Fahlin (SWE) 6:13, 5. Malgorzata Jasinska (POL) 6:13, 6. Karol-Ann Canuel (CAN) 6:17, 7. Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) 7:05, 8. Amy Pieters (NED) same time, 9. Lucinda Brand (NED) 7:17, 10. Ruth Winder (USA) s.t., 11. Rasa Leleivyte (LTU) s.t., 12. Katarzyna Niewadoma (POL) s.t., 13. Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) s.t., 14. Sara Poidevin (CAN) s.t., 15. Anastasia Iakovenko (RUS) s.t.