Luke Rowe has responded to critics blaming him for crashing Mads Pedersen during Paris-Roubaix by calling them "nuts" and telling them to "go f**k yourself".
The Ineos Grenadiers rider was involved in a crash with the former world champion in the Arenberg forest after suffering a front wheel puncture, losing control of his bike.
Race footage shows Rowe ahead of a small group on the cobbled section on the right-hand side of the road, swinging back over to the middle as he loses speed, one rider swerving out of the way before Pedersen went into the back of him.
"I've been bombarded with messages about causing a crash on Mads Pedersen in the forest in Arenberg, you're nuts, you are nuts," Rowe said in a video posted to Instagram.
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"If you're one of them who sent me a message you are nuts. I had a front wheel puncture, I had no control on the bike. If you're one of those who sent me a message try riding a f**king bike through the forest of Arenberg with a front wheel puncture. I was trying to stay to the right, the front wheel started to go, I swung to the left, Mads hit me at 40km/h."
Clearly irritated by those getting in contact to share their thoughts, Rowe had a message for them.
"If you're one of those who sent me a message I'm going to try and say it as politely as I can, go f**k yourself."
Rowe had been involved in the early break during Roubaix, forging his way up the road before his puncture.
He eventually finished in 67th place, 20 minutes down, leading a group across the line containing team-mate Michał Kwiatkowski, Kasper Asgreen, Tim Declerq, Max Schachmann and Dylan Groenewegen.
