Michael Vanthourenhout finished 22nd at the European cyclocross championships in Zeddam, nearly three minutes behind the winner, after entering the race as one of the primary favorites for the title.
The 32-year-old Belgian rider had circled the championship with red ink on his calendar, boasting four victories, two second places, and a third place across his first seven cross events of the season. According to WielerNieuws, his early-season form positioned him as a principal challenger to Nys before his race unraveled early in the competition.
As Nys advanced toward the front of the field, Vanthourenhout surrendered ground early and failed to alter his trajectory over the course of the race. Wielerflits said that the rider had already shown signs of stress during the opening lap, shaking his head and showing frustration while attempting to close a gap.
Bart Wellens expressed sharp criticism of his compatriot’s performance and on-course behavior in his column for Het Nieuwsblad, pointing to both the Zeddam result and an altercation from earlier in the week. Wielerflits reported these remarks.
“As je als medefavoriet start en je eindigt pas 22ste, dan is er iets fout gelopen,” Wellens wrote in Het Nieuwsblad, as cited by Wielerflits.
“Ik zag het al in de eerste ronde: er was nog niks aan de hand, maar hij was zich al druk aan het malen en met het hoofd aan het schudden omdat hij een gat moest dichtrijden. Toen dacht ik al: dat is snel om je nu al op te jagen,” Wellens said.
Wellens added that Vanthourenhout’s tendency toward frustration is rooted in his character, pointing to a recent clash with Cameron Mason at the Noordzeecross in Middelkerke. According to Wielerflits, Wellens characterized the rider’s recent demeanor as childish.
During the evening cross in Middelkerke, Vanthourenhout collided with Cameron Mason after the British rider dove inside a left-hand turn, sending the Belgian to the ground. In de Leiderstrui reported that the maneuver dropped Vanthourenhout back through the field before he recovered to finish second.
Following the finish, an angry Vanthourenhout waited for Mason, delivered a physical tap, and shouted “fuck you,” as detailed by Sporza. Race officials subsequently fined the Belgian for his post-race conduct.
“Het is een manoeuvre dat mag, maar ik verloor daardoor mijn evenwicht en dan zit ik opeens als zesde of zevende man,” Vanthourenhout said after cooling down. He added that the incident occurred in the heat of the competition.
Mason responded on Instagram with a veiled reference to receiving a taste of his own medicine, In de Leiderstrui reported, noting his satisfaction with another solid performance following earlier top-ten finishes in Dendermonde, Ardooie, Meulebeke, Overijse, and Oudenaarde.
Wellens argued that race officials missed an opportunity to discipline Vanthourenhout for his post-race confrontation in Middelkerke rather than intervening elsewhere on the calendar. Wielerflits reported those comments.
“Mason passeert hem op een stuk parcours waar er plaats genoeg is en doet een actie die per cross honderd keer wordt gedaan,” Wellens said.
“Vanthourenhout riep toen al iets naar Mason en de manier waarop hij na de cross verhaal ging halen was not done. Dáár had de jury tussenbeide moeten komen, niet bij Schreiber,” Wellens said.
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