Roger De Vlaeminck (78) hospitalised following car accident: Belgian legend and outspoken Pogacar critic injured in New Year's Eve scare

Belgian cycling icon Roger De Vlaeminck has been hospitalised after being involved in a car accident on New Year’s Eve, suffering minor injuries in what has been described as a frightening overnight incident.

The 78-year-old, a four-time Paris–Roubaix winner and one of the most outspoken figures in cycling history, was driving home from Bilzen to his residence in Kaprijke when the crash occurred, according to a report by HLN.

The long return journey, estimated at around 155 kilometres, ended abruptly in Zelzate, where De Vlaeminck’s car left the road and ended up in a ditch.

Local reports indicate that the vehicle overturned. Despite the severity of the accident, De Vlaeminck was able to climb out of the car himself, although he was reportedly disoriented at the scene. He was taken to hospital in Sint-Niklaas for treatment, where doctors confirmed he had sustained only light injuries.

While the incident naturally raised concern given De Vlaeminck’s age, the initial medical assessment has been reassuring. The former classics specialist is understood to be conscious and under observation, with no life-threatening injuries reported.

The accident occurred after De Vlaeminck had spent New Year’s Eve with his partner in Bilzen, a routine he has previously spoken about publicly due to the distance between their homes. The crash happened during the early hours of 1 January, turning what should have been a quiet return into a serious scare.

De Vlaeminck’s hospitalisation comes just months after he found himself at the centre of global cycling debate for very different reasons. Late in 2025, the Belgian legend went viral following a series of controversial comments in which he sharply criticised modern stars including Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel.

In his most widely shared remarks, De Vlaeminck dismissed comparisons between Pogacar and Eddy Merckx, declaring that the Slovenian “isn’t fit to lace Merckx’s shoes” and insisting that, were he still racing today, Pogacar “wouldn’t be dropping me” in the mountains. He also labelled the reigning world champion “overrated”, comments that spread rapidly across social media and cycling media worldwide.

When asked publicly about De Vlaeminck’s criticism weeks later, Pogacar declined to escalate the debate. Instead, he offered a calm, measured response that stood in stark contrast to the tone of the original remarks.

“I evaluate myself,” Pogacar said. “If someone overrates me, it doesn’t bother me. If someone underrates me, it doesn’t bother me either. It doesn’t change anything in my life.”

The exchange highlighted a familiar clash of eras and personalities — De Vlaeminck as cycling’s unfiltered traditionalist, Pogacar as the modern champion uninterested in public sparring.

For now, however, those debates have faded into the background. The priority is De Vlaeminck’s recovery following a New Year’s Eve accident that could easily have had far more serious consequences.

A towering figure in Belgian sport and one of the most recognisable voices in cycling history, De Vlaeminck has rarely shied away from controversy. This time, though, attention has shifted from his words to his wellbeing — with relief that the legendary former rider escaped a frightening crash with only minor injuries.