Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara won his second Tour of Flanders one-day classic on Sunday, but the main controversy was caused by second-placed Peter Sagan.
The Slovakian grabbed the backside of one of the women presenting prizes on the podium sparking strong criticism on social media sites.
“Shame that Peter Sagan has so much class on a bike and so very little off it,” Great Britain’s former Commonwealth Games cyclist Michael Hutchinson said on Twitter.
The incident overshadowed a thrilling duel between Cancellara and Sagan once they joined third-placed Jürgen Roelandts of Belgium at the front with 16 kilometres to go.
Both of them fought for supremacy over the last two climbs of the race, Vieux Quaremont and then the Paterberg.
While Sagan was able to stay on Cancellara’s wheel on the Quaremont he was unable to stay with the merciless pace of the Swiss rider on the Paterberg, 13km from the finish.
Cancellara left alone like in a time-trial and never faltered as he rode to the line to win his fifth major classic of his career.
Sagan conceded that Cancellara had been the better rider on the day, but was delighted to have taken second.
“I am happy with my race, I have time on my side to eventually win this very difficult race,” said the 23-year-old. – telegraph
