VIDEO: Nightmare start to Tour of Flanders for UAE as key domestique for Tadej Pogacar crashes during roll out
CyclingSunday, 05 April 2026 at 11:05
The 2026 Tour of Flanders is already underway, and whilst many are expecting Tadej Pogacar to once again be there or thereabouts when it comes to the win, the Slovenian's UAE Team Emirates - XRG have been dealt some early damage.
During the neutral roll out from the startline in Antwerp, one of Pogacar's key domestiques, Rui Oliveira was caught up in a crazy crash. Despite the low speeds and the seeming lack of any sort of danger, the Portuguese, who had been riding near the back of the peloton, suddenly swung out wildly and into the barriers at the side of the road.
With so much of the race to go, this is highly unlikely to be a decisive moment, but at the same time it's hardly the ideal start to the day that Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates - XRG will have dreamed about last night. See the moment for yourself down below!
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À peine parti, déjà tombé... le début de course insolite de Rui Oliveira, coéquipier de Tadej Pogačar ! 🤕 #RTLsports pic.twitter.com/Jltus9LrvE
— RTL sports (@RTLsportsbe) April 5, 2026
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- Mads you have another chance next week at Paris Roubaix. Flanders is Flanders but PR is a whole different ball game. You are made for this race.Cyclingsbestfan05-04-2026
- Tadej really had to dig deep to stay away from MVDP. I think staying away from Remco, where he did more work than MDVP, cost him, but once he got a gap more than 15 seconds he simply cruised at a higher speed than his rivals and looked less ragged doing so. Kudos!velodan05-04-2026
- It would be best for Florian Vermeersch to leave the UAE and sign a good contract somewhere else, because it is more than obvious that he only wants to be the captain. Pogi allowed him to be the captain until today, and today he could not give 100% for Pogi. It is time for him to go.Mou-Cro-HR05-04-2026
- An excellent result and an accurate self diagnosis. Much like in the mountains against Pogacar and Vingegaard, he doesn’t have the explosive acceleration to stay with Pogacar and van der Poel. A commendable debut at a crazy race, better than Pogacar’s (when he was fourth in a two up sprint).RidesHills05-04-2026
- An incredible ride, fabulous and carefully planned tactics with Vermeesch blowing things up the first time, then the big names actually taking turns up front to secure the gap, then the next acceleration and again a gap to secure. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Pogacar so nervous, looking back to soften. Amstel seems burned in his mind. A deserving win. Oh, and grumpy old de Vlaeminck, you’re now third on the list of monument wins. It took 5 decades but it finally happened.RidesHills05-04-2026
- Either there are rules or not. If you don’t like them it is your problem.averagecyclist05-04-2026
- Great race with a dominent Pogacar again. Can't see why there is criticism of Vermeersch. I guess he saw the race in a different way?. Vermeersch didn't ride for himself. Why would he? He wasn't ever going to go against team orders and go on to win. I saw him talking to Pog and it looked like Pog said drive it and tire the peleton out. Which very effectively he did and then he faded back to the group behind. At one point with Pog right on his wheel, he very clearly indicated with double elbows for Pog to stay back as he was about to get up on the pedals. If you know about riding close up on another riders wheel, when you get up on the pedals the bike goes back slightly. Hardly the actions of a rider riding for himself.Cyclingsbestfan05-04-2026
- MVDP is certainly the best classics rider of his generation, But He ran into the greatest classics rider of all timeabstractengineer05-04-2026
- Disqualify everyone just so Aert can win. You are a country of losers, dear Belgians. Realize that Wout will never win Flanders because he doesn't have the quality... so don't hate the winner if you feel like a mouse and a loser. Nothing can help you against Pogi my dear haters. You would disqualify half the peloton if it meant Pogi can't win. You only hate him because he's been destroying you for years... a cycling country. Eat your hearts out. Capish? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣Mou-Cro-HR05-04-2026
- Pogačar, Evenepoel and all the riders who did not stop must be disqualified. This time it was OK, but maybe next time they'll get hit by the train. Such behaviour is unacceptable
Rafionain-Glas05-04-2026
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