Photo via Cyclingnews

Car enters course during Dutch race just four days after rider safety protest at Il Lombardia

A car intruded onto the race route during the opening stage of the men’s Eneco Tour in the Netherlands, just four days after a high-profile rider safety protest at Il Lombardia. The incident occurred Wednesday with around 70 kilometers remaining, as a green vehicle entered the course ahead of the breakaway group.

An in-race marshal on a motorbike successfully guided the driver off the road, preventing a collision with the three riders in the lead. The peloton, trailing by 1 minute and 44 seconds, passed the scene after the car had been diverted, avoiding any further risk.

The latest breach underscores a string of dangerous encounters this season, including a fatal crash involving British rider Finlay Tarling during the Volta ao Portugal in August. Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel led the protest at Il Lombardia, where he delivered a speech condemning the repeated incidents, calling for urgent action from cycling’s governing body, the UCI, and race organizers.

A collective rider statement echoed his demands, citing multiple recent collisions and emphasizing the need for stricter road security measures to protect athletes.

The Eneco Tour stage ultimately concluded with a victory for Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier, but the event’s broader significance lies in its timing, coming so soon after the riders’ unified call for change. Evenepoel’s remarks directly referenced Tarling’s death, as well as other near-misses, including a police motorbike driving the wrong way during Tre Valli Varesine, which knocked two of Tom Pidcock’s teammates out of contention.

The riders’ frustration has grown as incidents at races like the Giro dell’Emilia and Coppa Bernocchi further highlighted systemic failures in course management. With the season nearing its end, the Eneco Tour incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for concrete reforms to ensure rider safety on the road.

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