The result immediately drew protest from De Gendt’s team,
Cannibal–Victorious U19 Development Team, who argue that the race outcome was
unfairly altered by the interference.
Francis Van Mechelen, team manager of Cannibal–Victorious
and father of professional rider Vlad Van Mechelen, took to Facebook to voice
his frustration. “We are filing a complaint with the UCI now against the result
and are asking for an Ex aequo for both riders who went to the finish together
on La Redoute!!” he wrote.
The demand for an “Ex aequo”, a rare decision in which two
riders are officially awarded joint victory, reflects the severity of the
protest and the extraordinary nature of the incident.
The senior edition of Liège–Bastogne–Liège took place last
month, with
Tadej Pogacar winning the prestigious Monument for a third time.
But even he has never had to navigate an obstacle quite like this! The events
in the junior race have raised questions about race organisation and safety,
and could prompt a closer look at vehicle management in youth and
development-level competitions.