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Irish cyclist apologises to Marcel Kittel for selfish selfie

David McCarthy snapped Giant-Shimano sprinter as he lay exhausted on ground after Sunday's win in Dublin...

There's a time and a place for taking a selfie and a shot posted to Instagram by professional photographer Kristof Ramon has led to a young Irish cyclist with the Nicolas Roche Performance Team development squad learning that lesson the hard way. Ramon's camera captured David McCarthy taking a selfie with an exhausted Marcel Kittel after the Giant-Shimano sprinter had collapsed to the ground after winning Stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia in Dublin on Sunday.

McCarthy has apologised to Kittel after Ramon's picture went viral once being posted to Instagram resulting in predictable levels of online vitriol being heaped upon the young Irishman for the inappropriateness of his actions. Kittel had just celebrated his birthday by taking his second Giro stage win in as many days.  

Ramon’s photo was later posted side by side on Twitter by Cycling Flash with McCarthy’s own selfie, with Kittel’s face showing what appears to be a mixture of incredulity and offence.

Some people commenting on the photo seemed to assume it was taken in the aftermath of a crash, although in fact it was after Kittel had sealed his stage win.

This morning, Nicolas Roche posted a message on Twitter on behalf of McCarthy in which he apologised to Kittel and anyone else offended by his selfie.

McCarthy posted a number of other selfies taken at the Giro Big Start to his own Instagram feed, including ones with Tinkoff-Saxo owner Oleg Tinkov, and team manager Bjarne Riis.

For Kittel, Sunday's win marked his last particpation in the race, which resumed in Italy today with a stage to Bari.

After his victories in Belfast on Saturday and Dublin the following day, his withdrawal from the race this morning due to a fever denies him the chance of going for the distinction of winning three consecutive Grand Tour stages in three different countries.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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48 comments

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andyp | 9 years ago
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THE most childish squabble in the history of the internet. Well done, chaps.

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mooleur | 9 years ago
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Both of you STFU and move on! *pulls both by ears like a 1940's mother angered by sibling rivalry*

Selfies are well last year anyway.

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farrell replied to mooleur | 9 years ago
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mooleur wrote:

Both of you STFU and move on! *pulls both by ears like a 1940's mother angered by sibling rivalry*

Selfies are well last year anyway.

Yeah, but it's Ireland, they're so far behind everyone else the fact that he's taking a "Selfie" practically makes him a Spaceman or something.

(That should fire things up again nicely...)

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mooleur replied to farrell | 9 years ago
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farrell wrote:
mooleur wrote:

Both of you STFU and move on! *pulls both by ears like a 1940's mother angered by sibling rivalry*

Selfies are well last year anyway.

Yeah, but it's Ireland, they're so far behind everyone else the fact that he's taking a "Selfie" practically makes him a Spaceman or something.

(That should fire things up again nicely...)

Hahaha, I really can't comment, I'm Irish born living on the Isle of Man - mate I haven't even SEEN the internet yet, I'm typing this and sending it to road.cc via telegram! ASCII selfie to follow...;)

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The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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...yawn...anyone else bored with this pish!
any admins can clean this thread up?

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The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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@chrisp1973
You still wasting server space on here?

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chrisp1973 replied to The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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The _Kaner wrote:

@chrisp1973
You still wasting server space on here?

Slightly less than you. Hurry up fella, you'll be late for school!

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chrisp1973 replied to The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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The _Kaner wrote:

@chrisp1973
You still wasting server space on here?

Slightly less than you. Hurry up fella, you'll be late for school!

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The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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Keep on at this rate and you'll pass that magic '100 posts' by the time you reach puberty...take it offline ...if you feel the need to continue making a fool of yourself....go start a thread somewhere else...
have you read ALL my comments/posts/threads...that's stalking...

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chrisp1973 replied to The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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The _Kaner wrote:

Keep on at this rate and you'll pass that magic '100 posts' by the time you reach puberty...take it offline ...if you feel the need to continue making a fool of yourself....go start a thread somewhere else...
have you read ALL my comments/posts/threads...that's stalking...

You really do have I high opinion of yourself, I called you out, deal with it boy.

I've better things to do with my time than read your shite lad and, quite frankly, I'm beginning to find you tedious.

As for puberty, I doubt very much your balls have dropped given your pathetic childlike yelping.

As for taking it offline, if that was some kind of thinly veiled threat you really have reached the pinnacle of twattery, well done you.

If I've written anything you don't understand do tell me and I'll take the time to school you.

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The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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@ chrisp1973
I could continue to quote back and forth to reinforce my point/opinion and continue to name call for the 'sake of being a petty c*nt' - much like yourself chrisp1973 - who started the name calling/argument, when in fact it had not even been directed at you, or involved you in any way up to that point - but as a champion of the underdog, you took it upon yourself to stick your nose in...you obviously troll the interweb as much as me looking for a keyboard fight

- but I'll be a better man and not continue to be baited (after this last reply) as it really has nothing to do with the original thread.

Suffice to say the misconception that you - chrisp1973- seem to have that someone with a poor grasp of the usage of the word 'of' when it should in fact be 'have' has nothing to do with dyslexia or learning difficulties..unless you count being grammatically incorrect as a learning difficulty.

So trot on and annoy someone else with more time to play verbal insult tennis.

Apologies to the original poster/story writer and others that have been affected/offended by this shite (except chrisp1973 obviously)...feel free to delete/etc as appropriate...

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chrisp1973 replied to The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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The _Kaner wrote:

@ chrisp1973
I could continue to quote back and forth to reinforce my point/opinion and continue to name call for the 'sake of being a petty c*nt' - much like yourself chrisp1973 - who started the name calling/argument, when in fact it had not even been directed at you, or involved you in any way up to that point - but as a champion of the underdog, you took it upon yourself to stick your nose in...you obviously troll the interweb as much as me looking for a keyboard fight

- but I'll be a better man and not continue to be baited (after this last reply) as it really has nothing to do with the original thread.

Suffice to say the misconception that you - chrisp1973- seem to have that someone with a poor grasp of the usage of the word 'of' when it should in fact be 'have' has nothing to do with dyslexia or learning difficulties..unless you count being grammatically incorrect as a learning difficulty.

So trot on and annoy someone else with more time to play verbal insult tennis.

Apologies to the original poster/story writer and others that have been affected/offended by this shite (except chrisp1973 obviously)...feel free to delete/etc as appropriate...

I don't go looking for a keyboard fight and I'm not a troll.

When somebody, "a petty c**t" such as you, feels the need to belittle others by picking up on grammar and the like when it doesn't warrant it or detract from what the individual is trying to get across I do get annoyed.

I imagine you were bullied at school or were a bit of a dullard and your Microsoft software allows you to make amends for all that stupidity years ago, move on, you'll feel better.

I think you'll find it was your twatty comment that detracted from the original post so please, don't try to blame shift. And I suggest it's you that needs to trot on like a good little boy, I'm sure mummy has a kiss for you.

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The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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Please write out 100 times
could HAVE not could OF...
would HAVE not would OF
(should HAVE not should OF)

That, to me, is way worse than taking a selfie with a stage winner...

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chrisp1973 replied to The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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The _Kaner wrote:

Please write out 100 times
could HAVE not could OF...
would HAVE not would OF
(should HAVE not should OF)

That, to me, is way worse than taking a selfie with a stage winner...

Please write out a hundred times:

I am a cock if all I can mention in a forum debate is someone's spelling or grammar.

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The _Kaner replied to chrisp1973 | 9 years ago
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chrisp1973 wrote:
The _Kaner wrote:

Please write out 100 times
could HAVE not could OF...
would HAVE not would OF
(should HAVE not should OF)

That, to me, is way worse than taking a selfie with a stage winner...

Please write out a hundred times:

I am a cock if all I can mention in a forum debate is someone's spelling or grammar.

You too are a cock if all you can mention is someone else's correction of poor grammar (not spelling) - a pet peeve of many - in a forum debate and call them a cock for it...after all you're not adding anything useful to the debate either...sucks to be you, eh!

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chrisp1973 replied to The _Kaner | 9 years ago
0 likes
The _Kaner wrote:
chrisp1973 wrote:
The _Kaner wrote:

Please write out 100 times
could HAVE not could OF...
would HAVE not would OF
(should HAVE not should OF)

That, to me, is way worse than taking a selfie with a stage winner...

Please write out a hundred times:

I am a cock if all I can mention in a forum debate is someone's spelling or grammar.

You too are a cock if all you can mention is someone else's correction of poor grammar (not spelling) - a pet peeve of many - in a forum debate and call them a cock for it...after all you're not adding anything useful to the debate either...sucks to be you, eh!

As if my point needed further reinforcement.

Did you stop to think for a second that somebody might be dyslexic or have a learning difficulty?

As previously stated - cock.

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Daddywelsh | 9 years ago
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oh come on! he's young, excited by his hero's and as he is up and coming is making sacrifices at a young age when like the rest of us probably drinking, smoking and messing around with girls he is getting up earily, staying up late, training all the hours he can and spending all his time with his team. Is wrong to let himself go for a split second, i dont think so. Give him a break and if he doesnt make it as a cyclist then let him become a photographer as its one of the best photos ive seen in years!

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Shamblesuk | 9 years ago
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I wonder if the guy who took the photo had a fever.....

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Dizzy | 9 years ago
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I was there at the weekend, I'm pretty sure at one point we were stood next to the lad who took the photo - I remember his clothing!
Anyhoo - he was not the only doing this LOTS of folks did it, ok the rider may not have been on the floor at the time, but people were running up the riders, trying to get photo's.
My 9yro son was even beckoned over by 2 Sky riders when they spotted him jumping up & down in his SkyKit, sadly another group of riders swooped though & we couldn't get over to them before they were moved on.
So my point being, If riders are happy to stop & have their photo taken when it suits them, then they will accept that folk are going to try whatever they can to get a pic taken. It's part of the job of being 'famous'

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Scoob_84 | 9 years ago
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Moments after winning a stage on the giro is hardly a personal moment

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farrell | 9 years ago
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For clarity and to make sure it is on record whilst it may seem like I am defending his behaviour I want to make it clear and certain that I, in no way, condone his awful attire.

I will support Kittel 100% if he wishes to press charges based on having a terrible tracksuit and bodywarmer combo at such close proximity.

Nico Roche is usually pretty well turned out, I think he needs to start cascading this knowledge downwards.

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The _Kaner replied to farrell | 9 years ago
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farrell wrote:

For clarity and to make sure it is on record whilst it may seem like I am defending his behaviour I want to make it clear and certain that I, in no way, condone his awful attire.

I will support Kittel 100% if he wishes to press charges based on having a terrible tracksuit and bodywarmer combo at such close proximity.

Nico Roche is usually pretty well turned out, I think he needs to start cascading this knowledge downwards.

He doesn't even have 'runners' on...he's wearing a pair of Converse...awful co-ordination....tsk...tsk...and he's a 'ginger'....  13

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faz. | 9 years ago
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Selfie = not acceptable

tens of motorbike cyclists rushing over to the scene of an accident to photograph fallen riders (for shots such as this one?) = acceptable?

It's a bit like bees to honey, quite vulgar

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Alb | 9 years ago
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Thank goodness this has been resolved. I'll rest easy tonight

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festival | 9 years ago
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Not the crime of the century, but a lack of class for sure.

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Ottadini | 9 years ago
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I'm sure the digs are going to land heavy on the kid every time he goes near a bike race now!
Mind you, straight after Kittel's stage victory on the Champs Elysees last year he came over to us and beckoned the crowd for applause (We gladly did, of course!) but he does seem to lurve the attention..

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Doaky | 9 years ago
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No harm done! Kittel is in the public eye and is constantly photographed! Yes he could have picked his moment a bit better but it's a storm in a teacup! If I had the opportunity I'd have done the same  1

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domofarmfrites | 9 years ago
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I would not p'off Dolph Lundgren if I were you, young David.

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russyparkin | 9 years ago
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the only offence i can see here is the dead to toe adidas track suit

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Cyclist | 9 years ago
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Sorry, in fact, no I am not. I am on kittels side, the man is in maximum oxygen debt trying to recover and some numpty comes and invades your space. If that was on the tube and happened too you you would have him done for assault or react in a violent manner... So no it's not ok or funny. Obviously those that think it's ok have never felt like kittel feels there, because it is the last thing you need. And neither has that t##t ever worked hard enough in training or racing, otherwise he would not of done it. Funny how people think it ok to do that to a world class cyclist/athlete, wonder what would of happened if the ball boy had jumped on top of Murray when he collapsed on the floor when he won Wimbledon and took a selfie?

The man sorry boy is a dickhead.

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