There was some drama during Wednesday’s Exact Cross Maldegem – Parkcross when Jinse Peeters (De Ceuster-Bouwpunt) and Manon Bakker (Crelan – Corendon) got into an altercation mid-race, resulting in Peeters smacking Bakker on the back of the head.
The exact (see what I did there) cause of the dispute remains unclear. However, footage shows the Belgian and Dutch cyclocross riders’ bikes becoming entangled. Bakker attempts to break free with a shove, which succeeds, but Peeters, who seems quite peeved, retaliates with a hit.
Both riders were battling for a top-ten finish, but the race jury ultimately disqualified them from the race. Marie Schreiber, who recently finished second at the under-23 world championships, took the win.
Bakker’s teammate Laurens Sweeck won the men’s event. No Canadians competed.
There must be something about the Exact Cross that brings out the worst in riders. In October, at the Exact Cross Beringen on Saturday in Belgium. During the fifth lap, a chase group featuring Eli Iserbyt and Ryan Kamp appeared ready to close the gap to the leaders. However, as they surged forward, both riders crashed on a steep descent.
The Belgian champion immediately blamed the Dutch rider and, in his frustration, stomped hard on Kamp’s spokes.
Kamp wasn’t willing to let it go, resulting in a brief confrontation between the two. Soon after, they swapped bikes, but the change proved futile for Iserbyt, who was disqualified after the sixth lap. Afterward, he was suspended for three races.
You can check out Wednesday’s drama below.
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