Tadej Pogačar among riders under investigation after Tour of Flanders railway red-light incident
OUDENAARDE, Belgium (AP) — Tadej Pogačar is among the riders being investigated for running a red light at a railway crossing during the Tour de Flanders on Sunday. Pogačar, who won the race for a record-equaling third time, was in a group of riders who went through the crossing without stopping. The majority of the peloton behind them had to stop before the railway.
Belgium officials confirmed Monday there is an ongoing investigation for the riders who allegedly ran the red light. They said no further details were immediately available. Local media said the riders could face a fine and a driving suspension if found guilty.
Pogačar, who rides for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG team, reportedly said after the race that the signal for them to stop came in too late. Race officials ordered the riders who went through to slow down so the rest of the peloton could catch up to them again. Also known as De Ronde (The Tour), the Tour of Flanders is one of cycling’s most challenging one-day races and was first held in 1913.
This year’s 278-kilometer (172. 7-mile) route featured 16 short but punishing climbs and several cobblestone sections. The race is one of the “monuments” of cycling — the five most prestigious one-day events in the sport — along with Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Giro di Lombardia.
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