\nChased and intimidated over several kilometres<\/p>\n
According to Vandenbulcke, the driver began following the riders, repeatedly cutting them off and shouting abuse. The situation intensified further when the woman contacted her partner and continued the pursuit with two cars.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree kilometres later, they came after us with two cars to intimidate and block both me and my fellow cyclist separately. There was aggressive shouting and threats,\u201d she said. \u201cThanks to bystanders, the situation seemed to calm down briefly, but not much later, the woman deliberately drove her car into my rear wheel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chased, blocked, and hit<\/p>\n
Vandenbulcke attempted to escape the situation by turning onto a gravel section, hoping to shake the pursuing driver. Instead, the confrontation reached its most dangerous point.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen entering the gravel path, I was hit again, causing me to crash, after which she fled the scene,\u201d she wrote. \u201cThis could have ended fatally. Traffic aggression is life-threatening.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former national champion escaped without broken bones, but made clear the psychological impact of the incident. She stressed that the episode was not a momentary loss of temper, but a sustained sequence of intimidation and violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just want to be able to practise our passion safely, without fear, without aggression, without danger to our lives,\u201d Vandenbulcke added. \u201cTraffic aggression has no place anywhere, certainly not towards cyclists.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also noted that while the driver questioned what would be done with video footage of the incident, there was no concern shown for the well-being of the riders involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe woman asked what I was going to do with the footage, but she never once asked how we were,\u201d Vandenbulcke wrote.<\/p>\n