Young Norwegian Tobias Halland Johannessen made a comment on his Instagram about the mistake made in Classic Var on Friday. Johannessen celebrated his victory early, allowing Lenny Martinez, who was nearby, to cross the finish line before him. The cyclist did not hide his frustration.
“I was the first to reach the metal arch before the finish line, no one can take that away from me”, writes Johannessen with a bit of self-irony. “Not serious. I feel guilty for my teammates who did perfect work all day. They had to watch me make the mistake I thought I would never make,” he expressed in his post.
Johannessen claims that the celebration was not conscious
Contrary to what we might think, Johannessen claims that he was not aware that he started celebrating so early. “I really thought I only started celebrating after crossing the finish line. Just to clarify: the finish line is that little blue thing,” he explains, referencing a video he posted alongside the text.
A new chance for cyclists in the Tour des Alpes Maritimes
Today, the 24-year-old Uno-X Mobility puncheur will have a new opportunity. He will take part in the opening stage of the Tour des Alpes Maritimes. This event could be a chance for him to redeem himself after what happened in the Classic Var race.