Overhead shot makes Matthews Flanders relegation look harsh | Video

Michael Matthews definitely moved in a manner that slowed the progress of Nils Politt in the Flanders sprint, but was it really against the rules?

Michael Matthews (Team Jayco AlUla) was left to lick his wounds as Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) celebrated his stunning victory - another one - at the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

However, while Matthews was relegated from 3rd place, to 11th, after being judged to have engaged in sharp practice in the sprint, the overhead footage of that final dash to the line - for 2nd place - appears to suggest the relegation was harsh.

Van der Poel had attacked off the front solo - on the Koppenberg with 45km to go - and as chaos ensued behind him, with many in the front group forced to run up the cobbled climb, the world champion powered forward.

Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) was able to respond and for the briefest time he looked like he had a chance of catching the leading man just seconds ahead of him.

Advertisement

However, the gap soon grew and after just 5km into his solo effort, Van der Poel had 30 seconds, which grew at one point to almost two minutes on the nearest chasers.

Behind him, Alberto Bettiol (EF Education–EasyPost) and Dylan Teuns (Israel Premier Tech), pulled clear and were riding for 2nd and 3rd place. However, the group pursuing them never gave up and caught them on the long finishing straight, just over a minute after Van der Poel won solo.

Matthews led out the sprint and as he caught Bettiol and Teuns they were on his left. That meant the Australian had to move to his right to overtake them. As he did so, his move to the right was pronounced as he made a beeline for the barriers.

Related News

Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) was trying to get through the gap on the right but couldn't, though Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) passed Matthews to his left and took 2nd place, with the Australian crossing the line 3rd.

However, Matthews was then relegated to the back of the group - to 11th place - after the commissaires decided he had deviated from his sprinting line in an unfair manner. While he definitely moved, without doubt, the overhead shot is kinder to Matthews than the head-on footage.

It shows one move to the right, as a continuation of his overtaking Bettiol and Teuns. And once he is on the right side of the road he makes no effort to hinder anyone else's sprint.

Related News