Justin Williams suspended for 'dangerous riding'

USA Cycling has suspended Justin Williams (L39ion of Los Angeles) for two months next season after it concluded its investigation into a crash between Williams and Thomas Gibbons (AUTOMATIC Racing) at the Littleton Criterium this August.

As reported first by GCN, USA Cycling was investigating both riders after the crash, which occurred in the final eight laps of the race and was followed by a verbal altercation.

Gibbons was not given any suspension and received a fine for his language after the incident.

"On September 8, 2023, USA Cycling concluded an investigation of an incident in the Pro-1 Men’s field at the Littleton Twilight Criterium, which took place on August 5, 2023 in Littleton, Colorado,” read the statement from USA Cycling, emailed to GCN on September 13th.

“During the course of the investigation, the investigator conducted comprehensive interviews with both Justin Williams (L39ION of Los Angeles) and Thomas Gibbons (AUTOMATIC Racing), alongside testimonies from witnesses and other stakeholders. Additionally, the investigator reviewed video footage, both from the event and bystanders, of the incident to provide an understanding of the incident and the actions leading up to it.

“As a result, Williams, who was penalised in 2022 for fighting at the Salt Lake City Criterium, will be suspended for 60 days for dangerous riding. His suspension will begin on April 13, 2024, and conclude on June 13, 2024. The suspension dates reflect the provisional start date of the American Criterium Cup (ACC) for 2024. He has also been fined $250 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Gibbons will also be fined $250 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“USA Cycling maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward dangerous racing and unsportsmanlike behaviour, and is committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of cycling events in the U.S."

Inside the investigation

GCN has obtained a document outlining the reasoning and details around the investigation into Gibbons’ role in the crash and whether or not he had culpability.

Focusing on the crash and the matching screen grabs from all of the available camera angles, James Abbott, a USA Cycling Elite National Commissaire charged with investigating the matter, methodically analysed what led to the crash, what happened to cause the two riders to come down, and what was said after the fact.

“During the investigation, I have spoken to Justin Williams and Thomas Gibbons who were in the crash and are the subjects of the investigation,” the Gibbons report read. “I also spoke with witnesses to the time after the crash including Christine Discoe (bystander with connection to the race organisation), Dante Young (rider in the race who helped de-escalate the ensuing argument) and other witnesses who wished to remain anonymous.

"For context, I have included much of the contents of the investigation for the complaint against Justin Williams."

The seven-page report goes to great pains to parse through each particular complaint and aspect of the crash, and at every point where L39ion lodged a complaint, Abbott refuted those claims. Most significantly, Abbott placed the blame for the crash on Williams and not on Gibbons.

“Justin Williams does not take the racing line,” the report states. “He slows and moves to the right into Gibbons. This causes Gibbons to crash which also brings down Justin. No other riders crashed.”

As we have referenced in previous reporting, one video from three separate on-board GoPro cameras shows the moments leading to the crash. From that video, it appears that Williams continues to move straight towards the barriers instead of taking the proverbial racing line around the corner.

GCN obtained the video of the crash which has since been circulated on the Instagram account Criterium Nation, which hosts a podcast on the American crit scene as well as covers the results from the significant events in the United States. Below we have embedded their Instagram post of the video:

Crash aftermath

The investigation report was able to illuminate the argument after the crash between Justin Williams, Thomas Gibbons, Cory Williams and some of the spectators.

“Both riders engage in a loud argument taunting each other about their professionalism,” the report reads. “Some of the bystanders at the corner taunt Justin about being a professional including the race marshal working the corner.

“Justin repeatedly shouts he is a professional and ‘what are you doing’ to Gibbons. He also suggests that Thomas should retire and should know that he should not interfere with a lead-out train.”

Gibbons, while not providing statements to GCN despite multiple requests for comment, mimicked these comments on his Instagram page and mocked Williams after he announced that he would not be suspended last week. Gibbons has since deactivated his Instagram account.

Williams and L39gion have not responded to calls to comment.

While it is normal for crashes to bring out high emotions and volatility, the Littleton incident is the fourth highly public post-crash incident involving the team. The first was last summer at the Salt Lake City Criterium where Justin and Cory Williams were involved in a physical fight with Best Buddies riders Michael Hernandez and Robert Sierra. Justin Williams, Hernadez and Sierra were all suspended after the fight.

That was not the last run-in the team had with Best Buddies racing, with Justin Williams posting a video to his Instagram of a crash at this year's Spartansburg Twilight Criterium where multiple L39ion riders sustained injuries.

In the caption under the now-deleted video, Justin Williams criticised Jordan Parra of the American Cycling Group (the name of the team that was Best Buddies Racing) for the move and called for a suspension of Parra. USA Cycling did not go on to suspend the rider and, since that time, there has not been any further incident between the two teams.

The third was at the Tulsa Tough criterium series where, after a crash, L39ion rider Alec Cowan was captured walking over and stomping on the wheel of a fellow competitor before pushing him. GCN has found no record of disciplinary action being taken against the Canadian or the team from USA Cycling and Cowan raced the rest of the series.

Final verdicts

Based upon the report obtained by GCN, both riders were investigated under complaints over three separate USAC rule violations:

• 8A4(d) Dangerous riding; or conduct posing a threat to any person(s) other than the perpetrator.
• 8A5(b) Unsportsmanlike conduct, including but not limited to, foul or abusive language; insults or rude behaviour.
• 8A5(i) Other activities or actions not specifically covered by the rules but bringing discredit upon the sport

Williams, who was deemed at fault for instigating the crash, will have his two-month suspension run from April through June of next season. Additionally, he was fined $250 dollars for unsportsmanlike conduct, as was Gibbons, who was found not to be at fault for dangerous riding.

While Williams will serve his suspension next year, he has continued to promote and plan for the first instalment of L39ion’s branded CRIT Championship. According to the event’s Instagram, the event is set to be held on October 21st in St. Petersburg, Florida, and will have amateur race leading into the main 'invite only' professional race.

The teams who are invited have been announced, but many of those squads are not established line-ups. L39ion of Los Angeles, the Austin Aviators, London Tekkerz and the Miami Blazers - who were featured in the GCN+ documentary on Tulsa Tough - are viable teams.

The rest of the teams, which seem to be structured like American sports franchises with each team linked to a city, have yet to announce who will be competing under those team names.