Chris Horner and Samuel Sanchez were two of several riders who went down in Sunday's world championships road race. Subsequent examinations have shown several injuries for both riders who have decided to bring their seasons to an end.

The world championships road race was held in torrential rain and several riders were forced to abandon the race due to crashes. Two of the biggest names to hit the deck were Vuelta champion Chris Horner and former Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez who has both been forced to end their season as a result of their injuries.

Due to a knee injury, Horner has raced very few races this season but he has had a fabulous comeback to the highest level with two stage wins and an overall victory in the Vuelta a Espana. With his limited racing schedule, he had planned to race all the way to the end of the season by participating in Il Lombardia and the Tour of Beijing.

However, he will now cancel his participation in those races after examination of the injuries he sustained in the big crash on the first lap on Sunday's race, showed several broken ribs on the back side of the body. Instead, he will put his season to a premature end.

"Everything went well in the last couple of months, except for the World Championships. Broken ribs are really painful and I'll be off the bike for at least two or three weeks. It's sad that I can't finish my season on a good note in Lombardy or China," Horner said.

Samuel Sanchez had similarly bad fortune when the Spaniard suffered trabecular fractures and injuries to both collateral ligaments in another incident. Like Horner, the injuries will keep him away from the final races of the season where he had hoped to end his long career with the Euskaltel team on a high.

Horner and Sanchez haven't announced for which team they will ride when racing recommences next season.