Cyclist Banned For Smacking Competitor

Professional Road Cycling is an intense sport filled with rivalries and hatred. Sometimes this can boil over.

That very thing happened this past September when Maxim Van Gils struck fellow rider Georgios Bouglas in the back of the head during a sprint. See the egregious act below.

In this video, which at first glance is only slightly clearer than the Zapruder Film, Van Gils swings his arm and hits Bouglas for a perceived slight in the peloton sprint. As the camera zooms in, the transgression becomes more clear.

The Slap Heard Round The World

Maxim Van Gils strikes Georgios Bouglas

Van Gils will serve a 25-day suspension from the UCI for a clear violation of the rules, starting on January 20th. He will miss quite a few races as a result.

Beefs between cyclists over sprinting positions that escalate to violence are nothing new. Getting in position to sprint is critical and riders resort to any means necessary. Famously, Mark Renshaw headbutted and then cut off another rider in a sprint at the 2010 Tour de France. He was removed from the tour for that stunt.

There is no excuse to strike another rider. Relying on any means other than superior strength is bad form. Putting riders in danger is just beyond the pale.

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