There was controversy on stage three of the Dubai Tour as race leader Marcel Kittel was punched by Astana's Andriy Grivko during the race.
The Ukrainian Grivko was disqualified and fined 200 Swiss francs by organisers after the stage was over, but though Astana issued an apology to Kittel and his Quick Step Floors team, that was not enough to placate the German sprinter.
Kittel posted a picture on his Twitter feed showing him bloodied from the blow, and wrote: "I won't accept an apology for this. That has nothing to do with cycling. What Grivko did is a shame for our beautiful sport."
I won't accept an apology for this. That has nothing to do with cycling. What Grivko did is a shame for our beautiful sport. pic.twitter.com/vvMN5LzQN0
— Marcel Kittel (@marcelkittel) February 2, 2017
Kittel had won each of the day's opening two stages in a race which strongly favours sprinters, but was outside the top 10 on day three as his former Giant team-mate John Degenkolb, now with Trek-Segafredo, took stage honours.
Afterwards, Kittel suggested his disappointing finish was related to the incident with Grivko, which happened early on the 200km stage from Dubai to Al Aqah.
"When we passed a construction site, the sand began blowing and as soon as we went into the crosswinds we were fighting for position, which is always stressful, and Andriy Grivko punched me," Kittel said on his team's website.
"I really can't understand how he can do something like that. I get that riding in the crosswinds is always tense, but it gives him no right to act like that. He could have hurt my eye. It's a real shame what happened. In the finale, my mind wasn't 100% on the sprint, but I am happy I have no big injuries and I kept the lead."
Astana sports director Alexandr Shefer had no complaints about Grivko's disqualification and said the team would consider its own disciplinary measures.
Grivko later wrote a long statement on his Facebook page, explaining the incident from his viewpoint.
In it, he said Kittel had first pushed Grivko's team-mate Dmitriy Gruzdev and then Grivko himself, "creating a very tense and dangerous situation that could cause not only my fall, but a big crash in the peloton".
Grivko added: "I responded with aggressive action to aggressive action from the other side. Perhaps I got emotional and it has nothing to do with cycling, but in extreme situations, when exists a question of safety, it is difficult to stay calm."
"After that incident, Kittel repeatedly, in the truest sense of the word, spit in my direction, which I also believe has nothing to do with cycling...However, once again I apologise to the race organisers, to all the fans, and of course to my team for this unpleasant incident."
