The criminal court of Verviers on Tuesday pronounced a common guilt sentence against former professional cyclists Philippe Gilbert and Loïc Vliegen and a driver with whom the two professionals had a discussion that escalated into a fight in 2016 in Theux.
Case Background:
During a training session on the road between Spa and Theux, the two professional cyclists, who were colleagues at BMC, were accompanied by an amateur cyclist when they were dangerously overtaken by the driver of a car, according to the cyclists’ accounts.
This led to an initial confrontation where Loïc Vliegen was abruptly pushed to the left due to a maneuver by the driver. Based on these events, the driver was found guilty of intentional obstruction of traffic.
Shortly afterward, the cyclists confronted the car in the center of Theux, which was stuck in traffic. Witnesses reported a brawl initiated by the two cyclists. Philippe Gilbert used pepper spray and suffered a fracture in his left hand.
Final verdict and fines
The court ruled that both cyclists and the driver were guilty of assault. A passenger in the car was acquitted. The possession of pepper spray by Philippe Gilbert was also addressed by the court based on these facts.
Duo to pay a 1 Euro fine
All three individuals were given a common guilt verdict. Philippe Gilbert, who demanded 450,000 euros in compensation from the car driver, will receive a 500-euro fine. Loïc Vliegen is fined 1,000 euros. The duo is also required to compensate the car occupants, provisionally set at 1 Euro.