A video has been posted on Twitter which shows the moment when Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) went crashing to the ground during yesterday’s Tour of Flanders.

In the footage posted from the Twitter account @Seal_jobs, it appears that a jacket hanging over the barriers gets caught in the World Champion’s handlebars as he climbs the Oude Kwaremont for the final time. Sagan then steers towards the foot of the next barrier before crashing to the cobbles.

Sagan posted a link to the footage saying: “Video that shows my crash at the @RondeVlaanderen was caused by a jacket that caught my left arm. These things happen in races (@Seal_jobs)”

Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and Oliver Naesen (AG2R-La Mondiale) also came down in the crash which happened as the riders were pursuing lone leader Philippe Gilbert (Quick Step Floors) who went on to win the race.

Van Avermaet remounted and made a valiant effort to catch Gilbert. It was not to be, but the Olympic champion did take second place. Naesen came in 2’32” down on Gilbert in 23rd place while Sagan finished in a group 3’30” down in 27th place.

26 COMMENTS

    • They took a risk riding so close to the barriers to gain an advantage to ride in the gully. Watch again closely, Sagan was taken out by the legs if the barrier not the jacket. They took a risk and sadly this time it didn’t pay off. Sagan knows that so was very matter of fact about.

      • I’m sorry, but you need to watch the video more closely. Sagan’s front wheel did indeed hit the barrier leg, but only after the jacket hanging over a preceding barrier caught on his handlebar and turned the wheel into said barrier leg.

  1. I like this guy.

    Last week he shoulder checks a guy and says “things happen”………this week gets taken down by a jacket and says “things happen”.

    He’s consistent about what he says and doesn’t whine.

  2. Watching the video a few times it seems to me the jacket was insignificant. Watch the wheels they go straight over two of the legs to the barriers that were protruding further out than the others. Naesen if you watch carefully went straight over it as well, GVA sidestepped it but was taken out by Sagan. Sean Kelly in commentary talked about an accident waiting to happen the whole race. I love Sagan and his racing style but I think he was at fault here. If you want to try and gain advantage to ride the gutters that close to the barriers and fans then you are taking a huge risk, yesterday sadly it didn’t pay off.

    • The jacket or arm it was hanging on definetly contributed to the fall in my opinion. I too have looked at the video a few times and it’s clear to me that Sagan slightly steered off a straight line and to his left immediately after he came in contact with the jacket/arm. I am totally convinced had he not come in contact with the jacket/arm that he would not have hit the pertruding leg of the barrier. He clearly didn’t leave enough room for error though and he certainly paid a heavy price for that.

    • The jacket or arm it was hanging on definetly contributed to the fall in my opinion. I too have looked at the video a few times and it’s clear to me that Sagan slightly steered off a straight line and to his left immediately after he came in contact with the jacket/arm. I am totally convinced had he not come in contact with the jacket/arm that he would not have hit the pertruding leg of the barrier. He clearly didn’t leave enough room for error though and he certainly paid a heavy price for that.

    • You may be right Ciarán with such small margins it’s hard to see for sure but I think naesen is more telling he just followed straight over the protruding legs, he wasn’t taken out by Sagan as it looks at high speed.

  3. Disagree with the jacket being insignificant. I don’t think it’s the fan’s fault. The jacket grabs the brake hoods and changes steering. That’s what causes the front wheel to head left into the legs of the barriers.

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