After winning the Tour of Flanders
Railway barrier violation: Rad-Star threatens to have his driver’s license revoked
April 6, 2026 – 11:35 a.mReading time: 1 min.
Tadej Pogačar and other professional cyclists crossed a railway barrier at the classic in Wichelen despite the red warning light. The public prosecutor’s office is now investigating.
Cycling star Tadej Pogačar from Team Emirates has won the Tour of Flanders – but the race has legal repercussions. He and other professionals, including Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, drove over a railway barrier in Wichelen, Belgium, despite the red warning light. The East Flanders public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation.
The incident occurred after about 65 of the total 278 kilometers. According to media reports, the affected drivers face a license suspension of at least eight days and a fine of between 400 and 5,000 euros. Pogačar and others involved may even have to appear in court in person.
The regulations of the world cycling association UCI stipulate that drivers must stop at level crossings when the warning light is red. In the worst case scenario, there is a risk of disqualification – which is considered unlikely here as a large number of drivers would be affected.
The Belgian railway was critical of the behavior of the drivers. Spokesman Frédéric Petit said: “The rules are clear: you have to stop when the light is red. This also applies to a cycling race.” And further: “One and a half million Flemings watched the race. It is of course a very bad example when cyclists ignore such a signal, especially since we carry out numerous educational campaigns on the subject of safety at level crossings.”
