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news
Sagan bum pinchingPeter Sagan under fire for pinching podium girl's bottom
Peter Sagan has been criticised for a photograph that shows him pinching the bottom of a podium girl after he was placed second in the Tour of Flanders yesterday.
As the winner Fabian Cancellara was given the customary kiss on the cheek by a blonde hostess, Sagan turned and 'goosed' her on the backside.
Social media immediately exploded, with thousands registering their unease at Sagan's act - and he was eventually forced to apologise.
Michael Hutchinson, 2012 Irish Time Trial National Champion, tweeted: “Shame that Peter Sagan has so much class on a bike and so very little off it.”
Irish Paracycling Team member Colin Lynch wrote: “Despite the symbolism of being kissed by scantily-clad women & then spraying champagne all over the place, groping them before is [off] limits.
“The podium move by Sagan was like school on Sunday. No class.”
Cycling writer and broadcaster Ned Boulting told The Independent: “To say it’s OK for winners to celebrate in these ridiculous clinches with these poorly paid, barely dressed and no doubt freezing cold women – I think it looks bad and pretty repressive.
“It’s seen as completely normal to have podium girls but it doesn’t need to be. If they ceased to exist [in the sport] overnight, no one would miss them.”
Jane Aubrey, editor of Australian cyclingnews.com, tweeted: “Anyone excusing Sagan's behaviour due to his age, needs to think again. In the workplace, it's called harassment.”
Adam Tranter, editor of website Cyclosport, retweeted the picture and wrote: “The moment you realise Sagan is actually just a bit of an idiot.”
Sagan's apology - via Twitter - was short and sullen. “Was not my intention to disrespect women today on the podium. Just a joke, sorry if someone was disturbed about it,” he wrote.
Latest Comments
- ROOTminus1 5 hours 30 min ago
In a better world, sure, it could be a good thing. But this is Britain, and our "leaders" from either side of house can't balance the books, keep a...
- NorthEastJimmy 6 hours 6 min ago
And a heads up that just clicking on someone's name sends them a notification.
- Wheelywheelygood 6 hours 10 min ago
Of course bikers are going to object how dare people think they have the right to be kept safe from law breakers on bikes . One way system , well I...
- giff77 8 hours 34 sec ago
Unfortunately too many British motorists believe that this white line is a de facto cycle lane rather than the boundary of the carriageway. Had a...
- David9694 8 hours 27 min ago
Gosh, Maida Vale into the centre - a real toughie.
- cmedred 12 hours 9 min ago
Thanks Ian. Sounds like devolution toward a system destined to create civil disobedience. It would certainly encourage my rebellious Yankee soul to...
- Geoff Ingram 12 hours 13 min ago
Correcto. Ffs, how many people in the whole of the UK actually have enough private land that they can need/use an unregistered vehicle which never...
- Dogless 12 hours 28 min ago
As ever, don't know why wild bikes (go outdoors etc) are always missed off these lists. The equivalent of the frog 61 (identical in almost every...
- mike the bike 12 hours 33 min ago
There was a time when I would eagerly open up my Campag' levers to fix a problem with easily obtainable spare parts, using little more than a...
- chrisonatrike 12 hours 29 min ago
More chicken and egg problems / self-reinforcing systems....
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70 comments
What a complete and utter bunch of hypocrites, I don't see all this outrage about having women parading on the stage and being forced to kiss men whilst giving flowers or toys, that's sexist as well, these girls shouldn't of been there full stop.
I had this argument with a mate, what do you mean forced to kiss men, well ask this question, if they refused to kiss the winner do you think they would of been up there ?
2 wrongs don't make a right, but don't put temptation in somebody's way and they won't stray.
If that's "sexual assault" then the podium girls are serial rapists.
If only road.cc could have somehow shoehorned something about Rapha and helmets into this article, then they could all retire.
Hmm - either keep the pointless podium girls AND the pinching, or do away with both. Anything else is flawed logic, internally inconsistent.
(I'm with the second option, btw).
Just wondering if now is the time to replace the podium girls with young club riders from local areas to present the awards to the winners. Would mean far more to them to meet their heroes than a model just doing a gig, and would give young male and female riders the opportunity to get closer to the pros than they currently do. Surely not impossible to link the presentation prizes to an event held the day/week before for local clubs? Read Millars book - a photo of Cav meeting him post event when he was a kid - same principles. Sure the riders would be happy to pass up a posed photo for a chance to make some kids day/year, and pretty sure their partner wouldn't mind. Who knows, the next Lizzie Armistead/Marianne Vos might get a bit of a boost from presenting to the current versions too (addresses that issue of podium boys that just sounds odd)
regarding the offence - this is a cut an paste from a recent law article.
The offence of sexual assault (by touching) is a serious and criminal offence. If you are accused of sexual assault, the Prosecution must prove that:
■You have intentionally touched another person,
■That the touching is sexual,
■That the other person did not consent to you touching them, and
■You did not reasonably believe that the other person was consenting.
Hope that clears it up a bit for those who are interested.
I never could stand Sagan. Until now. Has the worlds media gone mad, or just us grey-faced joyless Brits?
Fuck me, it's like being back in the 1970s where casual racism, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia and misogyny were seen as perfectly normal and acceptable.
How can any decent fellow condone the actions of this idiot?
Shame on you.
Nice bottom though... *runs for cover*
I think this is being blown out of proportion, and no that doesn't make me some backward neaderthal. He pulled a silly prank. Then apologised. Victim says she didn't like it, but accepts his apology.
Newsflash: Young lad in public eye with some growing up to do, makes mistake in public eye.
The aggression in this and the other thread is more hostile than a pinch on the bum.
Why does cycling need podium bimbos? I cannot think of a single reason.
Well I hope you are going to post his public apology that he made the other day.....just to show people how these things can be sorted out by adults without involving the law.
He's just a young lad.
I just love his expression... it is perfect! Goose!
Yep, she was asking for it. Apparently lots of women who are sexually assaulted are.
Under English law what he did is at least assault and battery, and potentially sexual assault if it was decided that it was sexual in nature. As its more likely that he was just proving that he's a knob, then it would be assault and battery.
This slagging off of podium girls is pathetic. They'll just be with a modelling agency and this is the gig they've been offered.
+1
Any "aggression" on here isn't a criminal offence, what he did potentially is, so I don't think it's being blown out of proportion at all.
Its not a case of slagging off the girls, they are doing a job, bottom line is putting "pretty girls" on stage is sexist as well and they shouldn't be there, what Sagan did was wrong full stop, but so is having podium girls.
I agree, but some of comments are aimed directly at the girls, practically saying they deserve whatever they get.
+1
I wonder how po faced people can get. People of adult mien can make sexual jokes without offence. I'm not sure that any of us are qualified to say how the girl felt about it all.
As someone else posted on the other thread, some podium girls have given cyclists a pinch on the bottom. It's a bit of fun for what is otherwise a weird and uncomfortable process for all around.
I think the matter would be massively different if he groped off stage, and/or graped a tit. But it's clear it was just a cheeky, if inadvisable nip. Her non-reaction is probably the key to all of this....if she was insulted/cheapened then she should and could, and still can make her feelings known.
So people, get a reality check.
I would.
I always loved being called a do-gooder. It's a shocking and brilliant insult.
YOU THERE! YOU! YOU DO GOOD! HA!
Ummmm. Thanks. Try our best.
I have to admit when i saw the picture it brought a slight smile to my face.
Not condoning what he did, cos it is wrong, but c'mon it was a spur of the moment thing, he's sort of apologised so lets move on.
If the young girl involved wanted to make a complaint all well and good.
Podium/padock girls - this firm schoolboy sexism seems to pervasive in powered and human powered two wheeled sports; T'is a bit captain caveman in this day and age. Great race however the organisers need to grow up and some riders need bromide!
Why or how can sexism or sexist actions be justified by the time frame that it or they takes place? it either is sexist/sexism or not and unfortunately in many cases this is set by the perception of the majority who follow suit and don't think for themselves with any quantitative/qualitative or rational concepts!
It seems from all these posts that the British press/public believe they are the moral compass by which the whole of the modern world should align itself!
Completely unacceptable. As is the stone-age sophistry being used by some people in attempted mitigation.
Whew! I was beginning to think that people on this site were sensible, and that misogyny had no place here.
Glad to see that I was wrong.
/sarcasm
Why don't all of you ask the women in your lives how they would feel if some guy very publicly pinched their ass? And why don't you ask yourselves how you would react if you saw some guy pinch the bum of a woman you love?
It's unbelievable that anyone would think this was ok. Be better people.
Professional sports men (and women) are, on the whole, a bit stupid. Thats why they earn their living playing sports and not performing heart surgery.
Stupid people invariably do stupid things when presented with the opportunity.
Sagan rides bikes for a living. The podium girl, rightly or wrongly, stands on a stage and kisses strange sweaty men who ride bikes for a living.
Life is all about choices.
In other news - the presentations at the the Tours of Oman and Qatar didnt feel the need for such archaic practises i notice and some presentations were even done by women who had some sort of qualification beyond being skinny and well groomed.
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