BRUSSELS (AP) — Organizers of a renowned bike race in Belgium have expressed regret for the publication of a cartoon featuring Wout van Aert that faced backlash for its perceived homophobic undertones.
The cartoon depicted Van Aert completing the Cyclocross World Cup in Spain without a saddle, a reference to his victory despite a late-race crash that resulted in the loss of part of his bike’s saddle.
Accompanying the image was a caption that read, “Wout van Aert crosses the finish line without a saddle. LGBTQ community blazing.”
The post triggered a negative response on social media, leading the organizers to issue an apology. They stated on X, formerly Twitter, “As E3 Saxo Classic, we would like to apologize for the cartoon. We certainly didn’t want to offend anyone here. We misjudged the cartoon. We will certainly discuss this internally. Our sincere apologies.”
This incident isn’t the first time the Belgian race has faced criticism for provocative communications, having previously used sexist posters to promote their event.
