The Eneco Tour has been praised by riders for its initiative to send motorbikes on alternative routes to avoid passing the peloton at pinch points, but that didn't stop a moto nearly wiping out the lead riders as it crashed on a roundabout.
The lead motorcycle took a wide line out of a roundabout in the closing stages of stage four, clipping a bollard and skidding across the road just in front of three riders off the front of the peloton.
Astana pair Andrei Grivko and Dmitriy Gruzdev were with Trek-Segafredo's Jasper Stuyven around 50 metres off the front of the pack when the incident occurred, with all three riders safely navigating the bike.
Motorbike-related incidents have unfortunately been quite common in the past two seasons, with Antoine Démoitié dying of his injuries after being hit by a bike at Ghent-Wevelgem.
Earlier in the season, Stig Broeckx (Lotto-Soudal) was knocked off at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and remains in a serious condition in hospital after being hit a second time at the Belgium Tour.
Then, Elia Viviani (Team Sky) was hit from behind following a crash at Paris-Roubaix among a host of incidents that have brought the spotlight on rider safety at races.
-
-
Five stages that could shape the Tour de France 2022
Just five of the 21 days of racing which could see the fight for yellow tipped on its head
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
US amateur rider handed four-year doping ban after winning cat three race
The 49-year-old was tested after his win in the Arizona State Championships this summer
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Caleb Ewan flies to stage five victory at Benelux Tour 2021
The race lead changed after Stefan Bissegger was dropped
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Taco van der Hoorn wins stage three of Benelux Tour 2021 as break holds off bunch
The peloton struggled to pull back to break due to some important riders getting mechanicals
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Remco Evenepoel 'couldn't eat anything until one hour before the time trial' at Benelux Tour as he considers abandoning
The former European time trial champion finished almost 40 seconds down on stage winner Stefan Bissegger
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Stefan Bissegger storms to impressive victory in Benelux Tour stage two time trial
The Swiss rider beat some of the world's best time triallists including Stefan Küng and Remco Evenepoel
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
'You should realise your mistake': Remco Evenepoel shouts at Gianni Vermeersch after opening stage of Benelux Tour 2021
The young Belgian had a very long wait for his front wheel to be changed by neutral service
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Mathieu van der Poel will not race Benelux Tour, team confirm, but should recover in time for Worlds and Roubaix
The defending champion was hoping to ride the WorldTour race to prepare for the World Championships and Paris-Roubaix
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Søren Kragh Andersen smashes fast and furious stage four time trial at BinckBank Tour 2020
Søren Kragh Andersen was dominant on the tight and winding country lanes of Belgium, taking victory in the rescheduled BinckBank Tour 2020 time trial on stage four.
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Mads Pedersen fights to hard-earned sprint victory on stage three of BinckBank Tour 2020
Mads Pedersen sprinted to a hard-earned victory after an attritional stage three of the BinckBank Tour 2020.
By Alex Ballinger •
