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Video: Israeli pro cyclist couple kiss during race as they win national championships

Guy Sagiv and Omer Shapira were both clear of rivals as they shared tender moment before crossing line

Here’s something we haven’t seen before – a couple sharing a kiss while racing,  both going on to become crowned national champions.

It happened in Israel at the weekend, where Guy Sagiv was taking part in the men’s national championship road race, while his partner Omer Shapira was riding in the women’s event.

Both Sagiv, who races for Israel Cycling Academy, and Canyon-SRAM rider Shapira were approaching the line after launching solo attacks to win their respective races.

The pair, who have been a couple for eight years after meeting when they were aged 16 and live in Girona, Spain, were interviewed afterwards on TV.

Sagiv – who at May’s Giro d’Italia became the first Israeli to finish a Grand – said: “The gap between each of us and our rivals gave us enough time to kiss when we approached the finish.

“It was really fun to meet by chance and do it.”

Shapira said: “I knew that I had a gap to my rivals but I didn’t know if Guy was in the same situation.

“When he slowed down to kiss me, I urged him, ‘Move it! Move it!’

“I was worried that his rivals might catch him if we kept on kissing. I finished a few seconds later,” she added.

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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4 comments

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tarquin_foxglove | 4 years ago
2 likes

"I finished a few seconds later,” she added.

Typical man.

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fenix | 4 years ago
0 likes

Aw sweet !

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bobbinogs | 4 years ago
1 like

I would like to see this entente cordiale catch on amongst breakaways...although I suspect the Badger would have something to say about that!!

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Kendalred | 4 years ago
1 like

Same route at the same time? How very novel.

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