The descent towards the Kanarieberg has decapitated the upcoming Tour of Flanders. The sinking will no longer be on the course on Sunday, but this was still the case today in Dwars door Vlaanderen. With dramatic consequences. Why then? “The Tour is even bigger, more important and faster,” responds organizer Flanders Classics. While the platoon always recognizes the danger.
In the peloton they know the reputation of the route to the Kanarieberg.
That devilish descent ensures incredibly high speeds, regularly resulting in serious falls. And so Flanders Classics came with a clear signal.
The organizer of the Tour of Flanders therefore canceled the piece for next Sunday. “The run-up is very dangerous,” he said.
“Last year, Biniam Girmay had a serious crash in the run-up. After feedback from the peloton, we removed the two slopes (Kanarieberg and Kortekeer).”
The route to the Kanarieberg remained in the Dwars door Vlaanderen route and unfortunately everyone now knows what happened.
There is such enormous pressure towards the front and there are so many strong riders. You shouldn’t get into the wind too early, but also not too late.
Tim Declercq
A strong croak that spoils the spring of Wout van Aert and Jasper Stuyven, among others.
“What makes that descent so dangerous? Because the road is so wide,” Tim Declercq points out the first pain point.
“The general level in the peloton is also so high. You have to be in a good position towards the right bend (before going up the slope).”
“There is such enormous pressure to the front and there are so many strong riders. You cannot get into the wind too early, but also not too late. Suddenly you feel: oops, I am boxed in.”
Sometimes there is simply no room due to the race to the foot. And anyone who dares to brake is seen.
Unfortunate timing
In Flanders Most Beautiful, the scene of the disaster will be avoided. Yet the affected riders do not care about this now.
“The fall unfortunately shows why we removed the run-up to the Kanarieberg from the Tour,” Tomas Van Den Spiegel (Flanders Classics) responded to Sporza during the TV broadcast.
“Unfortunately, current events have caught up with us.”
Why is it possible on Sunday but not today? “The Tour is even bigger, more important and faster. There is even more pressure on Sunday.”
“We want to avoid falls as much as possible, but it remains a dangerous point.”
It is possible that the Kanarieberg will disappear from the spring races.
Flanders Classics
At the finish, Van Den Spiegel appeared in front of our camera again. “Every fall is one too many. It puts a damper on everything this week stands for.”
“Every safety issue is one too many. This remains a dangerous sport that we must make safer, but many things cannot be ruled out.”
Although the organizer had counted on a less nervous start due to the stakes being not the same. “Normally, this course falls into place more quickly.”
“It is up to us to evaluate now. Does the Kanarieberg still fit into current cycling where there is always racing? That is not easy. It could disappear from the spring races.”
The last word on the thorny issue has clearly not yet been written.
Tags: dangerous Tour scene disaster Time evaluate Kanarieberg
