Fallout from carnage at Classic Brugge-De Panne continues: "All the obstacles and the narrow roads in the final are too much"

What should have been a thrilling showdown for the sprinters at the Classic Brugge-De Panne turned into a chaotic and dangerous finale. While Juan Sebastian Molano rightfully claimed a memorable win, the day was overshadowed by a series of crashes that raised renewed concerns about rider safety and course design.

The final five kilometres of the race were riddled with hazards. From road narrowing’s to speed bumps, traffic islands, and a right-angled turn just 500 metres from the line, it was a finish packed with high-risk elements. As the dust settled, it became clear that the layout left little margin for error.

The race, often dubbed the “unofficial world championship for sprinters,” failed to deliver on that promise, many of the fastest men in the peloton were wiped out before they could even sprint. Just ask Tim Merlier!

Lidl-Trek’s Steven de Jongh, speaking to Wielerflits, acknowledged the persistent issue.

“Not that it goes wrong here every year. We have known this final kilometre for a long time, it is the same as in previous years and then it did go well,” he said.

“Only, then the weather conditions were more difficult. This time the wind was not strong enough to pull the peloton into echelons, and then you go to the finish with a very fresh peloton. All the obstacles and the narrow roads in the final are too much.”

Without the natural selection that wind or tougher conditions can bring, a full-strength bunch barrelled into a finish not equipped to safely handle the speed or density of riders. The end result? Chaos.

Wilfried Peeters of Soudal–Quick-Step also highlighted the series of problems that made the finale especially dangerous.

“Sometimes it is good to have a few bends in the end, to get the peloton in line. But it went wrong at that narrowing two kilometres from the end. A little later there was a refuge island at the last bend to enter the main track, there was also a big crash there. Those last kilometres were very tricky. It was a watchful eye every time: hopefully none of us will be there. But I think every team saw someone on the sidelines in the final kilometres.”

It’s a grim but honest reflection. Virtually every team had at least one rider caught up or delayed by crashes in the final stretch, a statistic that undermines the credibility of the race as a true contest of speed.

Peeters was measured in his comments, acknowledging that organisers face constraints. “I know that the organization has to make do with this location and that it is not easy at all. You want to do it as safely as possible, but the furniture has only increased in recent years. That makes it difficult to organize competitions and have them finish in a city center. I know that you can also fall on a large track, but the number of narrowing’s and speed bumps was simply too high here.”

But for De Jongh, the solution is clear: it’s time to move the finish line.

“They should look for a finish outside the city centre. That is the only way to find a safe arrival here. But okay, I also understand that the organisation does not like that, because then you take everything away from the middle class. It is difficult, but above all a shame that so many accidents happen. That should not really be the case anymore.”

The problem, De Jongh argues, is not just the route itself but the sheer level of competition and desperation among riders.

“It is a combination of everything. You have too many good riders who all want to dive into the same hole, all want to be at the front and then you get chaos.”

Points pressure is another factor. With WorldTour survival and individual bonuses tied to rankings, riders and teams are taking greater risks in races that offer big UCI points.

“The teams are under pressure to earn points. And where are there many points to be earned? In the sprinter races. Those points are important to stay in the WorldTour and riders now receive bonuses based on points.”

Peeters echoes that sentiment, “I am certainly not only pointing to the organization. The riders still have to do it. I now also notice that the top of cycling has become broader in general and more riders want to be there.”

The density of quality riders means more teams are arriving at these races with legitimate hopes of winning, or needing to place in the top ten to earn precious points. That congestion, in a peloton surging at 60 km/h on narrow city streets, is a recipe for disaster.

So do such sprinter-heavy races still belong at the top tier of the sport?

“Definitely,” insists De Jongh. “But for a finish like this, you first have to have a tough race. Either because of the wind or because of the rain. Then you have less chaos and you have fewer fresh riders in the final.”

That is the key distinction. A sprinter’s race can still be compelling and competitive, but only if the parcours naturally whittles down the contenders. When the weather is benign and the run-in is flat and sheltered, the peloton arrives en masse, fighting for every inch—and with today’s speeds, that means higher risk for everyone.

De Jongh concludes with a broader point on infrastructure and the future of race planning, “It is a difficult one. Organizations have an infrastructure of municipalities with traffic islands. You can't remove all of that, it's too expensive.

“Then you might have to think about closed circuits, somewhere in the polder. Which is not really attractive to see. But of course it would be safer.”

It’s a conversation that’s not unique to De Panne. Across the calendar, race organisers, riders, and governing bodies are grappling with how to maintain thrilling racing while protecting the athletes at the heart of the sport. Crashes are a part of cycling, but as De Panne demonstrated again, unnecessary risk built into course design is something that can and must be addressed.

For now, riders lick their wounds, teams analyse what went wrong, and the debate over how to protect sprint finishes without compromising on spectacle continues. One thing is certain though: no one wants to see a podium defined by who stayed upright, rather than who was fastest.