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Wout van Aert “almost killed” after receiving “harrowing” punishment pass from horn-blaring lorry driver

The Tour of Flanders favourite was “literally almost under the concrete mixer” during the pre-Ronde ride, says former pro and training partner Jan Bakelants

Wout van Aert, one of the big favourites for this weekend’s Tour of Flanders, was “almost killed” after receiving a punishment pass from the horn-blaring driver of a concrete mixer lorry earlier this week, according to retired pro and training partner Jan Bakelants.

Speaking on the Wielerclub Wattage podcast, former Tour de France yellow jersey wearer Bakelants said he was training with Van Aert, fresh from his imperious displays at the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem, and Belgian cyclocross rider Daan Soete at the time of the “harrowing” incident on Tuesday.

The trio were in the middle of a 151km ride from Van Aert’s home in Herentals, taking in parts of the Netherlands close to the city of Eindhoven, when, somewhere across the border, a lorry driver seemingly took exception to one of cycling’s biggest talents not using a nearby cycle path.

 

According to Bakelants, the lorry driver deliberately close passed the group, forcing Van Aert and Soete off the road, with the Jumbo-Visma leader almost ending up “under” the motorist’s concrete mixer.

> Lorry driver who killed Davide Rebellin reportedly got out of cab, looked at dead cyclist, then drove off

“Because the cycle path on the road was not adapted for speeds of 40 to 45km/h, we rode on the road,” the recently retired Bakelants, who rode for Intermarché, RadioShack, AG2R, and Quick-Step during his 14-year career, told podcast colleagues Tom Boonen and Dirk De Wolf.

“Suddenly I heard the horn of a concrete mixer, which drove past us. As befits a true road hog, the driver of the concrete mixer closed the door on us while honking.

“Wout had no choice but to ride Daan Soete into the side. Otherwise, our wild benefactor [a reference to Van Aert’s decision to “gift” Gent-Wevelgem to Jumbo-Visma teammate Christophe Laporte] would probably have ascended to heaven.

“Wout was almost dead. He was literally almost under the concrete mixer. It was really harrowing.”

Wout van Aert after training ride in which received 'punishment pass' from lorry driver (credit - Jan Bakelants, Strava)

All smiles after a much-needed coffee (credit: Jan Bakelants, Strava)

The shocking incident comes just under four months after recently retired pro Davide Rebellin was killed in a hit-and-run collision involving a lorry driver, while just last month up-and-coming 18-year-old Spanish pro Estela Domínguez was also killed by a hit-and-run truck driver during a training ride.

> Up-and coming Spanish cyclist killed by hit-and-run lorry driver

But following his spot of quick thinking, Van Aert will thankfully be able to line up at the start of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, where he will have the weight of a whole country on his shoulders as he aims to capture his maiden Ronde win following a dominant cobbled classics campaign from both him and his Jumbo-Visma team.

After outsprinting Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar – expected to be his big rivals for Ronde glory on Sunday – at Friday’s E3 Saxo Classic, the 28-year-old set tongues wagging, and ensured days of filled columns in the Belgian press, after appearing to “gift” his Jumbo-Visma teammate Christophe Laporte the victory at Gent-Wevelgem two days later, prompting a seemingly endless debate about the sport’s values and ideals.

Following a week of tedious controversy and a terrifying near-death experience, Van Aert will certainly be hoping that the next time he makes the headlines will be when he’s standing on the top step of the podium in Oudenaarde on Sunday afternoon.

Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.

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16 comments

Avatar
Kapelmuur | 11 months ago
7 likes

I got an aggressive reaction when riding on the road near Ypres last year.   It was early Sunday morning and there was very little traffic.   The only reason I was on the road was that the cycle path was in very poor condition.

I think I'd been brainwashed into believing that motorists in Flanders respected cyclists, so the aggression was quite a shock.

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lesterama | 11 months ago
7 likes

In the Netherlands, I believe that cycling on the road is not permitted where there is a cycle path next to it. Thing is, cycle lanes are rarely designed for pro speeds. Even in a country with amazing infrastructure, problems remain.

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chrisonabike replied to lesterama | 11 months ago
6 likes

I think you're correct.  They did build a mountain for cycling up though... Also it is possible to get up to a fair lick (60kmh+) in places.  And they're building genuine fast cycle routes - not "cycle superhypeways".

I'm not sure exactly what the design speed is but I think the idea is that people will do a reasonable speed on the cycle path.  That's the opposite of the UK where "because pedestrians!"* the goal always seems to be "slow down those dangerous scortchers".

* Conflict which we've made worse by cheaping out and building "shared use" stuff - or rather just putting up a blue bike sign.

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KDee replied to chrisonabike | 11 months ago
3 likes

I recall seeing Mark Beaumont being stopped by the Dutch police for riding on the road for his round the world ride in the documentary. I've accidentally ended up on the road once or twice when riding in unfamiliar places here, and missing the entrance to a cycle lane. 

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mattw replied to chrisonabike | 11 months ago
1 like

I think 48m only counts as a mountain in NL.

Even Norfolk is twice as tall.

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chrisonabike replied to mattw | 11 months ago
1 like

When 26% of the place is below sea level it's all up!  Apparently the average is 30 m ASL and the highest point is 322 meters.

They say the headwinds are fierce though.

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cyclisto replied to lesterama | 11 months ago
2 likes

Yes, it is illegal to ride when there is a bikepath aside in some bike paths https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikeway_and_legislation

But a fast moving bulk of a truck can be really dangerous aerodynamically to "suck" you inside, so punishment pass can be super dangerous, not just a statement. I believe all vehicle drivers should ride for a certain distance as a part of their driving license examination and be overtaken by a heavy vehicle.

Similarly there should be road safety static truck demos, that cyclists could see how invisible they can get at blind spots of trucks.

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HoarseMann replied to lesterama | 11 months ago
6 likes

It's clearly signed if cyclists (tractors and mopeds) are banned from the road:

https://earth.app.goo.gl/K1Zzsq

The reason for it is these roads are either dual-carriageway or double white lines, with a single lane in each direction. Overtaking is banned to improve safety, so slower vehicles are moved onto a different route. 

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HoarseMann replied to HoarseMann | 11 months ago
3 likes

You can cycle on the road, even if there's a bike path, where there are no signs banning it. As this chap is doing here. This could have been the section, it's about half-way on their route.

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chrisonabike replied to HoarseMann | 11 months ago
1 like

According to the detailed notes here and also notes here this may also depend on the type of cycle path (sign) and a few other things.

Quote:

You are required to cycle on the separate dedicated bicycle path when one is available. It is typically marked by a blue circular sign with bicycle icon. ... When a dedicated bicycle path is not available, cycling is allowed on the road. If there is a mandatory cycling lane, the cyclist must use it. ... A path marked with a blue rectangular sign with the word ‘Fietspad’ indicates an optional bicycle path ... Cyclist are not allowed on certain roads or pedestrian-only streets. ... You are not allowed to cycle on paths designated for pedestrians in parks, forests, woods or recreation areas.

On the other hand it also says you're not allowed to cycle under the influence of alcohol which I suspect isn't always strictly policed... Plus they've banned using phones and they do fine people - I guess it's more obvious than the phone in lap in a car but I wonder how well this is adhered to?

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chrisonabike replied to HoarseMann | 11 months ago
0 likes

Note the round blue mandatory cycle path sign just to the left of the more distant cyclist.  No cycling on the road going in the opposite direction.

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HoarseMann replied to chrisonabike | 11 months ago
1 like

There's a blue sign going in the other direction too, so that is a mandatory cycle lane - should this cyclist not be on the road then, most likely.

https://goo.gl/maps/W9QBGY89ueTaEECy9

I hadn't appreciated it was still mandatory, even without the red circle sign.

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Awavey replied to HoarseMann | 11 months ago
5 likes

From their Strava ?

For me the thing is surely Van Aert and his group of ride buddies have been riding in the Netherlands long enough to know the rules and pick routes where this won't be a problem for them, they are pro cyclists after all.

Equally let's just say they were breaking the rules, why is the penalty for that a near death experience?

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HoarseMann replied to Awavey | 11 months ago
2 likes

yep, from the strava route, if that was the right route linked in the article. Just before the cafe stop - which after an experience like that, I'd be looking for a cafe stop pronto!

I'm not sure quite how stringently the mandatory cycle sign is followed - the roadie in this streetview clearly isn't bothered about it. No excuse for a dangerous close pass whatever the rules say.

https://goo.gl/maps/W9QBGY89ueTaEECy9

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lesterama replied to HoarseMann | 11 months ago
1 like

The only possible excuses for a close pass are I messed up or I'm a dick, neither of which are legitimate.

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Larold replied to lesterama | 11 months ago
0 likes

However i am also sure that if someone breaks the law they should be dealt with by authorities and not by some idiot behind a wheel of a lorry that thinks its ok to kill someone by being judge, jury and executioner without a proper hearing, for a minor road traffic impingement.

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