Ronde van Vlaanderen 2026, monument, April 5 (men's)

[Potomac]

Lamperti has this

 

[KoopaCycling]

About 185 km to go. This is why monuments are (in part) special.
Most others races only have this distance to ride. Meanwhile they already rode almost 100 km already.

 

[Berniece]

Haven’t there been top riders that were DQ’ed during a Paris Roubaix in 2000-2010? Don’t know which year anymore. Cancellara won or Cancellara was DQ’ed

 

[fenns]

No that's what you're implying, and I tell you they can't because they can't predict how fast the riders will start.

No I'm not implying the train be stopped - or interfered with in any way. The organisers should have known it was coming and neutralised the race. This data is readily available in a country like Belgium. Just plain incompetence.

 

[Boehmand]

why do you keep mentioning closing the railway system? that's not being suggested. the officials should have known a train was coming and made appropriate precautions. Total clowns.

It's not that easy, because you don't know what speed the race has.

If they go a little faster or a little slower, they hit that railway crossing 5 minutes earlier or later - and it's not just one train, the trains keep coming on the same line.

Even something as simple as the start being delayed because someone gets a flat in the neutral zone, will throw the entire schedule out of whack.

Also, a train can be delayed.

 

[KoopaCycling]

No I'm not implying the train be stopped - or interfered with in any way. The organisers should have known it was coming and neutralised the race. This data is readily available in a country like Belgium. Just plain incompetence.

Maybe the unthinkable happened and the train was a minute or 2 early...
(can't be true ofcourse). More likely it could have been later than advertised.

 

[Brullnux]

So many tears for something that won't make difference in the end.

The main issue is that a load of riders ignored the light... incredibly stupid, you're 30km into a race. It would amount to a similar amount of time lost for a nature break or mechanical for Pogacar.

 

[Danskebjerge]

The only scenario that would have made the train incident somewhat interesting for the race would have been if Mads Pedersen had joined the breakaway. I got the impression from something I read that going in an early break was something he had considered (because of his not too good form). Eventually he settled for a defensive approach instead.

 

[AmRacer]

The main issue is that a load of riders ignored the light... incredibly stupid, you're 30km into a race. It would amount to a similar amount of time lost for a nature break or mechanical for Pogacar.

The head of the bunch already started to cross the railway when the signals started to flash red.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Nice piece of gable art....

 

[No Excuses]

Maybe the unthinkable happened and the train was a minute or 2 early...
(can't be true ofcourse). More likely it could have been later than advertised.

Would never happen with Deutsche Bahn

 

[Brullnux]

Dillier should ride in that, UAE aren't happy

Pollitt absolutely distraught that his 'I will shout at you if you go in the break' approach has failed once again. He might have to think of new tactics soon

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Haven’t there been top riders that were DQ’ed during a Paris Roubaix in 2000-2010? Don’t know which year anymore. Cancellara won or Cancellara was DQ’ed

2006 Cancellara won and his chasers Gusev, Hoste and Van Petegem got DQed because they ignored the commissaires at a Train crossing with 10k to go, the group with Boonen behind them got held up.

 

[Berniece]

2006 Cancellara won and his chasers Gusev, Hoste and Van Petegem got DQed because they ignored the commissaires at a Train crossing with 10k to go, the group with Boonen behind them got held up.

Thanks, that was it.

 

[fenns]

Maybe the unthinkable happened and the train was a minute or 2 early...
(can't be true ofcourse). More likely it could have been later than advertised.

most likely they didn't even check the train's movements in relation to the peloton

 

[Boehmand]

From the UCI rules on rail crossings:

• If one or more leading riders make it over the crossing before the gates shut and the remainder of the riders are held up, no action shall be taken and the closed level crossing shall be considered a race incident;
• If a group of riders is split into two groups following the closure of a level crossing, the first group will be slowed down

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A couple of cobbled sections coming up a in a few kms.

 

[topcat]

A couple of cobbled sections coming up a in a few kms.

Any trains?

 

[Boehmand]

All the big boys are starting to move up in the peloton.

Things are slowly heating up.

 

[Brullnux]

most likely they didn't even check the train's movements in relation to the peloton

I do agree that they should be checking it, but I don't know what they can do beyond a warning over race radio that a likely level crossing delay will occur. It may be that a train is delayed by 30s for whatever reason or the peloton speeds up, at which point a neutralisation is pointless as everyone would have gone through. It is very fine margins and there are a lot of variables the organisers have no idea about or control over which make neutralisation a gamble.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Any trains?

a derailed one, off schedule. Or maybe a couple of kids playing.... everything is possible.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Any trains?

Or cobblers?

 

[No Excuses]

Any trains?

UAE train

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So Bjerg has taken about 5s over the last 20kms....

 

[topcat]

UAE train

Postal Train Stress Disorder