Intermarché-Circus-Wanty riders fined by UCI and ordered to attend educational course after posting racist gesture during race in China

Intermarché-Circus-Wanty riders Madis Mihkels and Gerben Thijssen have been fined by the UCI and ordered to attend an educational course on “the fight against discrimination”, a month after Thijssen posted a photo on Instagram of his younger teammate making a racist gesture while at a stage race in China, prompting the Belgian team to withdraw the pair from the event.

Mihkels and Thijssen were pulled out of the Tour of Guangxi, a six-stage race in the south of China, on the eve of the first stage in October, following the widespread circulation on social media of what Intermarché-Circus-Wanty described as a “regrettable” photo.

20-year-old Estonian neo-pro Mihkels, who took his first professional win at the Tour of Germany in August, made a crude, offensive gesture with his eyes as part of an Instagram story on Thijsen’s account, taken in Beihai, where the Tour of Guangxi was set to begin the following day.

The Belgian sprinter’s Instagram story and account was swiftly deleted following the post, and Intermarché-Circus-Wanty later confirmed that Mihkels had been withdrawn from the race and that “necessary disciplinary steps will be taken to close this incident” (25-year-old Thijssen was notably not included in the Belgian squad’s initial statement, though a belated amendment confirmed that he had also been sent home).

> Pro cyclist withdrawn from race in China after posting racist gesture on social media

“We sincerely regret the behaviour of our rider Madis Mihkels and the image shown on the social media,” Intermarché-Circus-Wanty said at the time.

“We would like to apologise to the Chinese people and fans, to the government of Guangxi, to the Chinese Cycling Association, and all parties involved in the organisation of Tour of Guangxi for the image given of our sport.

“For ever, our team Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, composed of more than 15 nationalities in our project, and our partners always defend firmly equal opportunities and fight daily against racism.”

Mihkels celebrates finishing third at the 2021 junior world road race championships in Flanders (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

And this morning the UCI, which launched its own disciplinary proceedings against the two riders at the time of the incident, confirmed that both Mihkels and Thijssen will be subject to an unspecified fine and ordered to undertake an “educational course” on discrimination.

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“The incident involved the publication of a video on Gerben Thijssen’s Instagram account with an image of Madis Mihkels making a racist and discriminatory gesture. Both riders acknowledged the violation of article 12.4.004 of the UCI Regulations and accepted the sanctions proposed by the UCI,” the governing body said in a statement today.

Article 12.4.004 of the UCI’s regulations stipulates that any rider who, “by word or deed, demeans, discriminates against, or denigrates a person or group of persons in a manner that violates human dignity on the grounds of race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, religion, political belief, language, ethnic or national origin, or social condition shall receive a disciplinary sanction.”

The UCI continued: “Besides the immediate withdrawal from the Gree-Tour of Guangxi, in China, by their team… they shall each pay a fine and physically attend an educational course on the fight against discrimination.

“The UCI unequivocally condemns all forms of racist and discriminatory behaviour and is committed, through the UCI Constitution, the UCI Regulations and its programmes, to ensuring integrity, diversity, inclusion, and equity in cycling.”

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Thijssen and Mihkels’ Instagram story, unfortunately, isn’t the first time in recent years that professional cyclists have been reprimanded for making racist and offensive comments or actions.

In 2020, a then-teenage Quinn Simmons responded to cycling commentator José Been’s tweet encouraging anyone who supported US president Donald Trump to unfollow her by posting the word “Bye” accompanied with an emoji of a black hand.

Bye 👋🏿

— Quinn Simmons (@QuinnSimmons9) September 30, 2020

While Simmons maintained that he did not intend for the emoji to be interpreted as racist, he was withdrawn from racing by Trek-Segafredo for the remainder of the season, with the American team adding that “racism is unacceptable. Period.”

And in 2017, Team Sky suspended Gianni Moscon, who has recently agreed to join Soudal Quick-Step in 2024, for six weeks after the Italian racially abused FDJ rider Kévin Reza at the Tour de Romandie.

However, many critics noted at the time that the ban – which also saw the controversial Italian forced to attend a “diversity awareness course” – covered a period during which Moscon wouldn’t have been racing in any case.

And despite Sky noting that any further bad behaviour would result in the termination of Moscon’s contract, the Italian was involved in another three high-profile cases where he either hit riders, threw his bike at them, or was accused of deliberately causing crashes, before he was finally let go by the British team at the end of 2021.