Tour of Flanders 2020: Peloton held up by train at level crossing, riders force way through

ByTom Bennett

Updated 18/10/2020 at 12:53 GMT

The peloton at the Tour of Flanders was held up by a level crossing with 105km of the race remaining. The incident allowed a break to get further time over the pack, and some of the riders were a bit too quick to set off once the train had passed, forcing their way through the safety tape being held across the road by stewards.

The Flanders peloton suffered an unscheduled pause when they were held up by a train arriving at a level crossing.

The riders were forced to stand and wait until it was safe to continue, with some being a little too keen to set off again and forcing their way through the safety line held out by race officials.

However it was a fortunate piece of timing for one rider in particular, with Edvald Boasson Hagen launching a lone attack off the front of the bunch just moments before reaching the level crossing, and just making it across before the barriers came down.

Ronde van Vlaanderen

'I don't agree with that' - Schar bottle expulsion comes under attack

05/04/2021 at 08:43

Tour of Flanders peloton held up at a level crossing

"Edvald’s got through. What a great move that was," joked Adam Blythe on commentary." He couldn’t have timed his attack better probably."

• Men's Tour of Flanders LIVE
• How are teams juggling the intense 2020 cycling calendar?

Although the incident isn't completely unheard of in professional racing, the riders forcing their way through the tape early was disappointing to see, with Dan Lloyd saying:

"They should have been waiting for the jury to take the tape up before setting off, but again it shows the desperation that sets in at this point of the race. When this happens at this point in a race, everybody’s walking up the side on the grass trying to get themselves towards the front."

And Blythe gave a little bit of insight (perhaps a bit too much insight) into what it's like being a rider in such a situation.

"It happened to me a few times where you try and force your way to the front," Blythe said.

You can’t really stop for a wee at this point during a race because it’s an important time and often people really need the toilet, so I’ve had people just sort of doing a wee in the middle of the road and in the middle of the bunch stood waiting for the train to come.

"It’s not a pleasant place to be."

Ronde van Vlaanderen

Women's Tour of Flanders highlights: Boels-Dolmans masterclass in De Ronde

00:03:59

|

18/10/2020 at 22:20

Ronde van Vlaanderen

Van der Poel vs Van Aert: One of cycling's greatest rivalries in the making

18/10/2020 at 16:58

Ronde van Vlaanderen

Van den Broek-Blaak wins Flanders with brilliant solo attack

18/10/2020 at 17:36