UPDATE II: Appeal rejected! Michael Matthews relegation off Tour of Flanders podium confirmed

Is he a victim of corruption?

I’ve rewatched it in slow motion many times now and though it’s harsh it’s also justified.

The rule is ambiguously worded to leave room for interpretation but the reason for the rule is clear, no rider should obstruct another.

Matthews starts all the way over on the left and moves right to overtake knowing both Politt and Mozatto are to his right, he doesn’t stop moving right until he is practically all the way right even though he had no need to take up the whole road (rider has to choose a LANE for his sprint and stick to it).

He left just enough space for Politt not to be able to do anything not dangerous and by the time Mozatto moved, Politt could no longer go round the left.

It is obstruction, maybe even knowingly.

I see it time and again during racing, the guys in front will play laterally as much as they think they can get away with to prevent anyone passing.

We saw what happens when the guy behind (JP a week ago) isn’t taking no for an answer and that’s exactly the kind of dangerous (sometimes criminally) situation the rule is supposed to prevent.

On the one hand the riders complain when the UCI doesn’t do enough for their safety but when riders create dangers they don’t accept being repremanded very well.

And so what if others get away, is that a reason to stop applying? Let’s extrapolate that to excuses for not paying taxes, stealing, killing people. When you get caught, too bad, as long as you don’t you tend to push things further thinking you’ll always get away with it.

So disappointed for Matthews.
Honestly, I saw nothing wrong with his sprint.
This decision reeks of corruption, maybe the commissaire had money on Nils!

He deviated but never obstructed Pollitt. So why the relegation

That has to be the most ridiculous relegation that I've ever seen. An absolutely terrible decision by the commissaires.