"I don't think he should come past on the inside" - Vanthourenhout explains furious exchange with Mason after heated verbal altercation at Middelkerke
Cycling
Michael Vanthourenhout and Cameron Mason had a verbal altercation after the finale of Noordzeecross Middelkerke on Thursday evening in which he swore at the British champion and was fined by race officials.
Vanthourenhout and Mason bumped shoulders mid-race, leading to the Belgian coming down. Following the finish line, Vanthourenhout went over to Cameron Mason and the two had a heated argument, in what proved to be a substantially heated moment in the cold Belgian evening.
In the verbal altercation, Vanthourenhout appears to accuse Mason of coming up his inside before the corner, leading to his fall. After the brief exchange, the Belgian appears to say "f**k you" as he walks away.
Race officials promptly fined Vanthourenhout for his behaviour following the finish. He was handed a 250 Swiss Francs fine. The incident itself happened on the eighth lap of the race, and ultimately played a part in Vanthourenhout;s second place finish just four seconds behind the evening's winner Joran Wyseure. Mason ultimately finished in fourth place, ten seconds adrift.
The men's race was quite fast, and featured less than an hour in duration. No-one was able to make the difference until late in the race, with the riders mostly trying to avoid errors in the fast and technical track.
😱 C'EST PASSÉ TOUT PROCHE DE LA BAGARRE !!! 🥊💢 Accrochage qui a failli dégénérer entre Vanthourenhout 🇧🇪 et Mason 🇬🇧 à Middelkerke 👀💣 https://t.co/42uhj855Go
— Cyclisme Belge 🇧🇪 (@LeCyclismebelge) November 5, 2026
Vanthourenhout reflects on heated exchange
In the final laps all riders came together, but Wyseure once again managed to take a victory this winter with a long strung out acceleration in the front of the group. No-one was able to follow in the wheel. Vanthourenhout and Kevin Kuhn finished on the podium.
Speaking after the incident, Vanthourenhout had calmed down slightly as he acknowledged that the move was legal per the rules, but still felt angry in the midst of competing for the victory.
"It was in the heat of the battle. I don't think he should come past on the inside just before that little hill, but it's a move that's allowed," he said.
Cameron Mason and Michael Vanthourenhout
"It played a role in the result"
"I lost my balance and suddenly found myself in sixth or seventh. It's very difficult to get back to the front from there."
He added: "It played a role in the result, but that's part of racing. I kept giving everything. Something like that happens in the moment.
"You know your race is over if you go down there. I'm disappointed, but also happy with the podium."
The pair will cross paths once again at the European Championships on Sunday as Mason represents Great Britain and Vanthourenhout lines out for Belgium in Zeddam.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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