Jan-Willem van Schip looked to be in mix for a medal in the men’s Elimination race on Sunday at the UCI Track World Championships. Rather than sprint in the three-up lap against eventual winner Tobias Aagaard Hansen (Denmark) and silver medallist Elia Viviani (Italy), Van Schip was relegated for “dangerous riding”, then disqualified for “insults, threats, improper conduct”.
Following the misconduct in public display, national coach Nick Stöpler replaced Van Schip with Vincent Hoppezak in the men’s Madison, the final event of the Track Worlds on Sunday, where the feisty rider would have been able to defend his title with Yoeri Havik. Hoppezak and Havik finished sixth in the 200-lap race.
The frantic Elimination race was the third of five medal events on Sunday at Ballerup Super Arena in Denmark, where most of the 23 riders contended with crashes and a number of controversial rulings by the jury.
Jules Hesters (Belgium) was removed in an early round for “dangerous riding” in a close pass and a push against Edibaldo Maldonado Rayas (Mexico). Three laps later Blake Agnoletto (Australia) was relegated for causing a crash.
Then with five riders remaining on the track, Jan-Willem van Schip (Netherlands) crossed the line fourth in front of Diogo Narciso (Portugal), having made a close pass moments before. On the ensuing lap with Van Schip riding ahead of Dylan Bibic (Canada), the jury relegated the Dutchman for “dangerous riding” against Narciso and removed him from the race.
Instead of moving into the medal round, where Bibic went on to take the bronze, Van Schip stormed off the track. But instead of departing the arena, he was reported to have cursed at the UCI and directed an obscene hand gesture towards officials, in both instances in front of spectators.
Van Schip was then disqualified for “for assault, intimidation, insults, threats, improper conduct directed at any other person”.
Van Schip was noted on social media by Team Netherlands as a medal hope on the final day of competition, looking “to take revenge” for a disappointing performance at the Paris Olympic Games where he was also disqualified. In that instance, he was competing in the Madions with Yoeri Havik and was disqualified for causing Oliver Wood to crash using his head to push the British rider.
Hesters was very unhappy with his relegation, finishing a long way from medal contention in 18th, but saved his reactions for outside the field of play.
“I feel robbed,” was the blunt reaction Hesters gave to Sporza afterwards.
“I have done things wrong in the race myself and I know that. But now I really feel like I have been robbed. I am not even touching that rider. It is incomprehensible.
“Now my World Championship is over and I’m at a disadvantage. There are riders who get away with everything and then I’m singled out for something like that. I’ll have to get over it, but it does feel like a reckoning.”
He referred to a disqualification he received two years ago in the same event at the European Championships, and said, “That was fair then. Since then I have the feeling that I am being unfairly scrutinized. Today I really don’t get it. I think it is totally unfair.”
Van Schip’s behaviour was the negative part of the tumultuous conclusion. The Danish crowd preferred to celebrate a second gold for the nation on Sunday, Hansen winning right after Julie Leth took the gold medal in the women’s Points race.
With those two gold medals, Denmark took two gold medals on the fifth and final day of competition at the Ballerup Super Arena outside Copenhagen to match Great Britain and the Netherlands with four gold medals for each nation.
