John Degenkolb says spat with Michael Matthews is a 'cleared up situation'
John Degenkolb and Michael Matthews had an altercation at the end of stage 16 of the Tour de France

John Degenkolb has said that he and Michael Matthews have spoken since their altercation at the end of stage 16 of the Tour de France.
After the finish in Romans-sur-Isère, which Matthews (Team Sunweb) won by a wheel's length, TV footage caught Degenkolb riding alongside Matthews and appearing to strike him on the back of the head and left ear.
It is assumed that Degenkolb was upset about Matthews' sprint, and the post-race incident angered the Australian who said "I don’t think it’s very sportsmanlike.”
At the finish of stage 17, outside his team's hotel, Degenkolb told Cycling Weekly: "We spoke this morning."
Questioned on what his view was on the situation, the Trek-Segafredo rider refused to go into detail, saying: "Yesterday is yesterday and today is another day."
The 2015 Paris-Roubaix winner was reluctant to speak about the spat. Asked what he and Matthews spoke about in their exchange, he replied: "I think we have spoken already enough about it. The situation is over. It's a cleared up situation."
Degenkolb is likely to have two further chances of beating Matthews before the Tour finishes.
Friday's stage to Salon-de-Provence should end in a sprint, while Sunday's stage in Paris is expected to be contested by the remaining sprinters, including green jersey incumbent Matthews, Degenkolb and André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal).
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.
Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
-
-
The Giro Donne starts on Monday for German climber Koppenburg
The Cofidis rider is looking to banish nerves after returning from a serious crash at last year’s race
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
'I was not punching him or doing any harm by touching him': Stefan Küng fined for 'assault between riders' at Tour de France
Riders and their directeur sportifs can be fined for anything from littering to reckless behaviour
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Simon Yates misses out on Tour de France selection
Team BikeExchange-Jayco opt for sprint focussed line-up focused on Dylan Groenewegen
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Michael Matthews storms to victory on opening stage of Volta a Catalunya
Australian wins for a second time in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, outsprinting Sonny Colbrelli
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'It's a shame to be out of the game': Michael Matthews just happy to be healthy after false positive at Giro d'Italia
The Australian was forced to withdraw from the Italian Grand Tour following a positive coronavirus test but has subsequently returned two negative tests
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Michael Matthews retests negative for coronavirus after leaving Giro d'Italia
The Australian's initial positive may have been a false positive
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Giro d’Italia 2020: Michael Matthews withdraws from race after coronavirus diagnosis
Michael Matthews has withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia after testing positive for coronavirus.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
Michael Matthews pulls out of Sunweb contract early to re-join Mitchelton-Scott
Michael Matthews is leaving Sunweb before the end of his contract to re-join his old Mitchelton-Scott squad.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
Michael Matthews takes the Bretagne Classic 2020 in a select sprint finish
The Australian took the win after his team-mate made a gap in the peloton in the closing stages
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
John Degenkolb says he didn't leave Trek-Segafredo because of Tour de France omission
Lotto-Soudal will be bolstered by the arrivial of not just the German, but also Philippe Gilbert
By Jonny Long • Published