Lotto-Dstny’s Van Gils ‘sorry’ for hitting Conti rider in Japan | Video

.@maximvangils He gave his professional colleague a little pedala at #japancup pic.twitter.com/WzqxZF4OxT

— The Country of Cycling (@opaisdociclismo) October 14, 2023

Lotto Dstny’s Maxim Van Gils has apologised after he was caught on TV hitting a Greek rider competing for a UCI Continental team in the Japan Cup Criterium. Van Gils and team mate Milan Paulus finishing 9th and 10th in the race but clearly the Belgian rider was not happy with Georgios Bouglas (Matrix Powertag), who both them both and placed 8th.

The race – which is a warm up event for the Japan Cup (1.Pro) road race tomorrow – was won by Edward Theuns (Lidl-Trek) from Riley Sheehan, the Denver Disruptors rider who won Paris-Tours last weekend while riding as a stagiaire for Israel Premier Tech.

In the background, Van Gils could be seen hitting Bouglas across the head; delivering a slap rather than a punch. However, he has now apologised for his actions, as has his team.

“We sincerely regret the behaviour of our rider Maxim Van Gils in the Japan Cup Criterium,” said Lotto-Dstny in a statement. “Maxim and his team want to apologize for his gesture at the end of the race.”

In the same statement, Van Gils added: “I deeply regret what I did and I already apologized to the race jury. They gave me a fine and I will lose some UCI points.”

“The gesture was a reaction to the dangerous behaviour of another rider, but I know that what I did was wrong. It was a reaction in the heat of the moment, but a wrong one and I should not have punched him and kept my hands on the handlebars.”

“I accept the penalty of the UCI and I apologize for what I did. This is also an important lesson for the future to keep myself calm in situations like this and to react in a proper way after the race.”