Mark Cavendish spent Sunday night in the intensive care unit of a Belgian hospital after a major crash in Sunday's Ghent Six final event.

According to the Quick Step team, Cavendish had passed a medical test immediately after the crash, but was taken to the hospital for medical checks.

"After the crash at Ghent Six Day, Mark Cavendish was taken to Ghent University Hospital where he was admitted overnight.

"Examinations revealed that Mark had fractured two ribs on his left side and had a small pneumothorax.

"Mark will be discharged this evening or tomorrow morning and will then spend the rest of the day recuperating, and everyone at Deceuninck-Quick-Step wishes Mark a speedy recovery."

Late Sunday night, Cavendish's wife took to Twitter to update fans and media on her husband's condition.

"Thanks for all the messages. Mark is spending the night in the ICU after his accident today. Thanks to all the medical staff who helped us today and rushed in to help me and the kids," Peta Todd posted.

Cavendish was teaming with Deceuninck-Quick Step teammate Iljo Keisse for the six-day race, but Lasse Norman Hansen also crashed in Madison.

Cavendish waved to the crowd for reassurance after the crash, but was later carried out of the truck on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. The team's medical team quickly arrived on the scene and assisted the rider. Iljo Keisse gave an interview to Het Nieuwsblad shortly after the crash.

"I was very emotional for a while. I don't want to go too far back in time, but you already know what happened here. It was traumatic for all of us, especially for Mark's children who were there."

"Mark was talking about his ribs, there was a big bruise there," Keese said. He was also concerned about his thighs."

On the final day, Cavendish and his partner Casey were in fourth place. Cavendish held this position in the final race and in the overall standings, finishing alone when the race resumed.

Jasper de Buist told Sporza after the accident that he had noticed some water on the previous lap and drove over it at low speed before everything went wrong on the next lap. Gerben Theissen slipped and Kenny De Ketele, on his wheels, swerved sharply, causing Hansen to fall. Later, Cavendish also fell when he was unable to avoid the Danish rider.