Local Flanders prosecutors will identify cyclists who crossed the railway with red lights on

A breakaway of the Tour of Flanders crossed a railway with red lights on but before barriers came down.
Text: Javier Escribano
Published 2026-04-07

The Public Prosecutor's Office in East Flanders will report the cyclists that ignored the red light before a railway crossing, and still crossed before the barriers came down during the Tour of Flanders race on Sunday, April 5. The peloton split as a result of the train passing, but the race commissaires ordered riders that crossed to slow down and the peloton then regrouped.

Among the drivers that stopped before the train passed were Mathieu van der Poel (who finished second) and Wout van Aert (fourth). Tadej Pogacar (winner) and Remco Evenepoel (third) were among the 20 or 30 riders who passed across the railway before the barriers came down, but with the red lights on that forced them to stop, something that is punishable by Belgian law, even during competitions such as the Tour of Flanders.

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According to local media, via CyclingNews, the local prosecutor's office from East Flanders will identify the offenders, with potential fines of around 320 euros and a ban on driving for eight days.

Race disqualifications are not expected, as there were complaints from cyclists, including Pogacar, that they were not warned with enough time to safely stop before the railway. An out-of-court settlement is also possible for this incident, which is not rare in road cycling races.

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