Former Belgian national coach Jose De Cauwer made comments yesterday on Sporza during Dwars door Vlaanderen that has the signalmen scheduled to work the Tour of Flanders up in arms. De Cauwer complained that the signalers weren't doing a proper job of notifying the riders, prompting Johan Kesteloot, the man in charge of the workers, to threaten pulling his signalers from working the Tour of Flanders if an apology isn't made.
There are a total of 586 signalers who work for Kesteloot, and they are used to direct traffic during the cycling events. They are positioned on the course to warn the race caravan of upcoming road furniture and dangerous sections along the route. De Cauwer said that the lack of signaling yesterday caused and incident on the course 44 kilometers from the finish that involved three riders.
Kesteloot had also threatened a strike in 2007 after the signalers were criticized by the riders, police and race organizers. Now he says that he is expecting a public apology to his workers by the commentator during Saturday's broadcast of E3-Prijs, or they will boycott working the Tour of Flanders on Easter Sunday.