Druivencross dog divides the Internet

An unexpected competitor entered Vlaamse Druivenveldrit on Sunday. An energetic dog ran through the Overijse, Belgium course and chased after the competitors. Although the dog didn’t cause any harm to the racers, his presence at the course has prompted an online discussion about whether the pets should even be allowed at races.

Sunday’s incident is not the first time an excited dog has joined in the bike racing fun. In 2016 a happy canine bounded up the run up at Jaamarktcross.  In 2017 an Italian dog outpaced the racers.  Although an animal joining the racing is entertaining to viewers, Tour de France fans will remember a more serious 2012 episode in which a dog caused a crash in the peloton on stage 18. Philippe Gilbert went down in the crash and had to be held back by his team director as he yelled at the owner of the dog.

Bad dog #cyclocross #druivencross pic.twitter.com/LpKjf6WcOE

— ? (@FulSpeed) December 15, 2019

The Druivencross dog innocently ran through the course, chasing after the riders but causing no harm. One rider briefly unclipped as officials chased the dog while the dog chased the riders. The four legged racer briefly accompanied eventual first place winner Mathieu van der Poel as he reaffirmed his top position on the podium. One day earlier van der Poel’s 35 race winning streak was brought to an end by Toon Aerts at DVV Trofee Hotondcross.

Some Twitter users were quick to point out that the dog looked very young, and that puppies have a lot of uncontrollable energy. Others emphasized that it wasn’t the dog that was bad, it was the owner who wasn’t paying close enough attention. Dogs are a popular fixture at cyclocross races around the world. The outdoor venues and large area to walk around are well suited for leashed pets, but some are skeptical that all dog owners can be trusted enough to hold on tightly to the leashes as the riders go by.