Crashes and injuries are at the forefront of the debate in professional cycling in 2024, and DSM Firmenich Post NL is one of the worst affected teams.

Talented British riders Max Poole and Oscar Onley are the latest DSM Firmenich Post NL riders to be injured in crashes. Onley broke his collarbone for the third time in eight months in the Amstel Gold Race, while Poole broke his elbow in Tirreno-Adriatico, severely hampering their respective goals in the Ardennes Classics and Giro d'Italia.

"They're both recovering, we're in touch, and we're disappointed that they're both going to miss more of the season," DSM coach Matt Winston told Cycling News at the Tour of the Alps. [But I'm confident we can come up with a good plan for both of them.

Poole, who has been impressive throughout the 2023 Neo Pro season, was scheduled to debut at next month's Giro d'Italia, but that has been called into question after Winston said a decision could be made as soon as next week.

"He's still recovering," Poole said. Obviously, the final week is crucial in the Giro, and whether that last slot goes to Max or someone else is still up for debate at this point."

Sprinter and team leader Fabio Jacobsen has struggled in the sprints and has yet to win this season. Only won the Tour Down Under at Willunga Hill, but the team's only win in 2024 was in the Aula Tour by Casper van Uden.

Romain Bardet's strong ride in the Tour of the Alps boosted the morale of the DSM-Filmenig Post NL. The French rider finished fourth in the rain-soaked third stage around Schwaz in Austria, moving him up to fifth overall.

Despite the recent controversy over safety, Winston did not blame the DSM-Filmenig Post NL team, admitting that it was simply a series of bad luck and unusual accidents that struck the team.

"Honestly, it was just bad luck. Max's crash at Tirreno was a one in a hundred chance.

"He hit a pothole and crashed hard. There's nothing you can do there."

"Oscar's (Only) crash on Sunday was in the wrong place and at the wrong time. It wasn't his fault, but he got caught up in it and unfortunately broke his collarbone."[21

Onley posted an x-ray photo on Instagram with the caption "How many fckn times," expressing his frustration as he had just returned from the same injury he sustained in the season opener in Australia. Winston, however, was confident that there was no need to panic despite the far-from-ideal situation and that the British pair would be back to their best by the end of the season.

"We're a team that has been hit by injuries over the last few years. It's about staying calm in those moments, having a plan, and looking forward to what we want to do in the next few months," Winston said. [And Oscar [and Poole] will be back racing in good form by the end of the year."