Demare, Groenewegen disqualified from Scheldeprijs for ignoring level crossing

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Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) and Dylan Groenwegen (LottoNL-Jumbo), two of the pre-race favourites to win the Scheldeprijs, have been expelled from the race for violating the UCI's level crossing rules.

The race had been split into several echelons when the level crossing lights began to flash after the first group went over the tracks. Démare and Groenewegen were part of a second group that crossed over just as the gates began to descend, and were halted by the motorcycle official further down the road and informed of their disqualification.

Each rider was also fined 100 CHF.

The UCI toughened up the level crossing rules after the 2015 Paris-Roubaix, when a group of riders jumped around the closing gates and crossed the tracks just ahead of a high-speed train.

Here is the complete list of the riders disqualified:

• Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
• Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
• Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick-Step Floors
• Lars Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal
• Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
• Timo Roosen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
• Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) LottoNL-Jumbo
• Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
• Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky
• Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb
• Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Sunweb
• Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
• Riccardo Minali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
• Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team
• Kim Magnusson (Swe) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
• Conor Dunne (Irl) Aqua Blue Sport
• Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
• Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
• Michael Carbel (Den) Fortuneo-Oscaro
• Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo-Oscaro
• Sjoerd van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
• Amaury Capiot (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
• Jordi Warlop (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
• Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan
• Mathias De Witte (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan
• Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vital Concept Club
• Steven Lammertink (Ned) Vital Concept Club
• Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
• Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
• Jimmy Duquennoy (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
• Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
• Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
• Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
• Patryk Stosz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
• Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling