Letter writer protesting change of course for 2012
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Tour of Flanders: Nick Nuyens (Saxo Bank-Sungard) was the toast of Flanders after his win.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Generation game: Fans of all ages come out for Flanders(Image credit: Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com)
A young boy waves the Flandrian flag(Image credit: Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com)
Anonymous letter writers have threated to strew nails on the course of the Tour of Flanders in protest of the change of route this year. The Mayor of Oudenaarde, where the race will finish this year, received the ominous mail last week.
“Three simple lines. From the font it looks to have been typed on an old typewriter. From someone who loves the Tour,” Marnic De Meulemeester told the Gazet van Antwerpen. “That is what they say, anyway. A person who is not at peace with the change in route.”
“The threat? Nails on the road.”
While it was not clear where the letter was posted, De Meulemeester had his suspicions. The town of Grammont, also called Geraardsbergen, has protested against the climb of the same name being removed from the race, and “there are even rumours that Grammont (...) plans to react on Sunday,” he said.
There is no panic, the Mayor said, “but we do take the threat seriously as you never know.” It has been reported to both the local and national police.
The police and race organisers will be “extra vigilant” in watching the route, “but it is impossible to place an agent or steward on every inch of the road.”
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