Wandering hand lands Sagan in trouble

Peter Sagan has learned the hard way you keep your hands to yourself.

The Slovakian finished second in the Tour of Flanders in Belgium on Sunday, but he’s since become infamous for his activities on the winners’ podium.

Sagan, 23, pinched the backside of podium girl Maya Leye as she kissed winner Fabian Cancellara during the medal ceremony and, as is the way in these days of social media, the photograph which captured the moment has whizzed around the world on Twitter and other sites.

The reaction has been negative — “Shame that Peter Sagan has so much class on a bike and so very little off of it”, tweeted one of his fellow riders, Irish national time trial champion Michael Hutchinson — with others accusing him of sexism and harassment.

“It was completely inappropriate. You can’t do something like that,” said Leye herself afterwards.

“Why didn’t I just turn around and slap him? There were one million people watching.”

Others have suggested the photograph may mark the end of the “podium girls” the young women who traditionally flank the winners of cycle races.

Opponents of the practice have pointed out that it is outdated and sexist, with no “podium boys” on offer for women’s races.

The debate doesn’t mean that Sagan has escaped scot-free, however, with the cyclist issuing a grovelling apology: “Dear Maya, women and fans, I know I have no excuses. Here again my sincere apology.”

Sagan added: “I sincerely apologise to Maya for what I did. It was wrong of me. I promise to act more respectfully in the future.”