Winner Tadej Pogacar and numerous other professional cyclists of the Tour of Flanders are likely to face legal repercussions. They had driven over a railroad crossing when the light was red.
According to media reports, the public prosecutor’s office in East Flanders will begin an investigation because Pogacar, Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel and other drivers did not stop at a railway barrier despite warning lights. The incident occurred in Wichelen after about 65 of the 278 kilometers.
According to consistent media reports, the professional cyclists face a driving license suspension of at least eight days and a fine of between 400 and 5,000 euros. Pogacar and Co. may even have to appear in court in person.
Bad example for the audience
According to the regulations of the world cycling association UCI, drivers must stop at level crossings when the warning light is red. In the worst case, there is a risk of disqualification. However, in this case this is unlikely as it would affect a large number of drivers.
The Belgian railway was disappointed by the behavior of the drivers. “The rules are clear: you have to stop when the light is red. This also applies to a cycling race“said spokesman Frédéric Petit. “One and a half million Flemings watched the race. It is of course a very bad example for cyclists to ignore such a signal, especially since we carry out numerous awareness campaigns about safety at level crossings.“
