Nicole Hanselmann: Cycling race stopped after female rider catches men

The Swiss rider took an early lead in the race in Belgium before being halted after closing in on the men's race

A cycling race in Belgium descended into chaos when the leader of the women's race was halted after catching the men's race.

The Swiss cyclist Nicole Hanselmann was in danger of being impeded by the support vehicles for the men's race, which set off 10 minutes before the women's.

Which meant Hanselmann, who rides for the Bigla Pro team, was ordered to stop by the side of the road after building a sizeable two-minute lead.

The organisers of the annual Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race around the Flemish Ardennes took the action in order to neutralise the women's race and restore a clear gap between the two races.

The bizarre situation forced the organisers to hand Hanselmann a headstart after resuming the race, but she failed to maintain her previous lead, falling back and eventually finishing 74th.

Hanselmann blamed the poor organisation and subsequent stop for wrecking her hopes of success.

“It was a bit sad for me because I was in a good mood and when the bunch sees you stopping, they just get a new motivation to catch you,” she told Cyclingnews.

“We could just see the ambulances of the men’s race. I think we stopped for five or seven minutes and then it just kills your chances.”

Dutch rider Chantal Blaak, of Boels-Dolmans, went on to win the race, but Hanselmann suggested the men were too slow in an Instagram post afterwards.

"Today was the first spring classic in Belgium," Hanselmann wrote. "I attacked after 7km, and was alone in the break for around 30km.

Nicole Hanselmann is stopped (Getty)

"But then a awkward moment happened and I almost saw the back of the men's peloton. Maybe the other women and me were too fast or the men to slow.

"After the neutralization, I was caught up again and finished the race on the 74th place."