Cyclist sparks outrage with ‘unsportsmanlike’ gesture caught live on TV as rival ‘applauds’ him in sarcastic tweet
A cyclist has sparked outrage after an “unsportsmanlike” move was caught live on TV.
During the second stage of Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var, Mathieu Burgaudeau ignited fierce criticism with a “sticky bottle” incident.
Eurosport GCN via TwitterMathieu Burgaudeau of Team TotalEnergies got a boost from the support car in a “sticky bottle” incident[/caption]
Eurosport GCN via TwitterIt gave him a huge burst of acceleration over rival Adne Holter, who was left furious following the race[/caption]
The move saw Frenchman Burgaudeau grab a water bottle from his and Team TotalEnergies‘ support car as it drove next to him.
He then appeared to receive a significant acceleration boost after being handed the bottle, taking him away from rival Ådne Holter.
The commentator for EuroSport/GCN described the move as a “hand sling,” a move typically used to help a trailing cyclist catch up to the pack ahead.
Holter took to Twitter after the incident and shared the video which was caught live on TV.
The Norwegian, likely still angry at the move, said: “Chapeau @TeamTotalEnrg #GreatMove,” with a less than subtle hint of sarcasm.
Jens Haugland, CEO of Holter’s Team Uno-X Norge, also took to Twitter to blast the move, saying: “Come on. Just race as professionals.”
He later added: “We are not perfect either, and we have made mistakes. But – do we really accept this?
“This old school race trick is neither «part of the game» nor «worth the risk» as said by the team post race. It’s not a rider getting caravan served behind the bunch, it’s a fight for the win.”
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Despite the severity of the incident, many fans believed the punishment handed out to Burgaudeau and Team TotalEnergies was far too lenient.
The team were slapped with a fine of 100 Swiss Francs, deducted four points in the points classification along with two in the mountain and 10 seconds in the general classification.
Meanwhile, Burgaudeau himself was also slapped with a fine of 200 Swiss Francs.
One fan fumed: “If that’s the punishment everyone should be risking it. A joke. Imagine if he won.”
A second said: “It’s bloody cheating. Anyone caught doing this should be kicked out of the race and the team car too.
“Too bad if that means a team has no team car. Makes a mockery of cycling.”
A third sarcastically added: “Yeah, slap that wrist.”
