Maxim Van Gils hits another rider at the Japan Cup Criterium

Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) has been fined and docked UCI points after striking Georgios Bouglas (Matrix Powertag) during the Japan Cup Criterium on Saturday.

The incident occurred just after the sprint finish of the race with Van Gils clearly taking a hand off the bars and hitting Bouglas across the back of the head.

GCN approached Lotto-Dstny for a comment with the Belgian team confirming the the rider had been fined.

"We sincerely regret the behaviour of our rider Maxim Van Gils in the Japan Cup Criterium. Maxim and the team want to apologize for his gesture at the end of race," the team stated.

The rider also issued an apology for his behaviour, and claimed that hitting Bouglas was in part retaliation for an incident earlier in the race. The Lotto rider accepted that such action was not appropriate. He was fined 50 CHF, and docked 10 UCI points, but was not disqualified from the results.

“I deeply regret what I did and I already apologised to the race jury," said Maxim.

"They gave me a fine (50 CHF) and I will lose some UCI-points. The gesture was a reaction on 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 handle bar. 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."

The race was won by Edward Theuns (Lidl-Trek).