Watch: Chinese rider attacks Swiss team members at Tour of Hainan

Police were required to intervene when a Chinese rider with the local Keyi-Look team attacked several members of the Swiss national team at the Tour of Hainan.

Following the conclusion of Staghe 7 last week, Wang Xin who had crash mid-stage confronted members of the Swiss national team. Video footage of the fight shows the rider beating one of the staff members who was in the team car before kicking him in the head then moving on to attack a second team member. When police and bystanders tried to break the confrontation up, the rider walked to a support car to pick up a pump to seemingly continue his attack.

Police and shocked bystanders were there to intervene preventing the rider from doing any more damage. Following the violent incident, the Chinese Cycling Association is considering severe punishment for the rider.

The riders anger likely stems from a crash mid-stage in which the rider alleges the Swiss team car struck him mid-stage causing him to crash. The Swiss team denies they touched the rider insisting that he fell because he touched the wheel of the rider in front of him.

No decision on what further punishment the rider faces was made but he was ejected from the race and will be banned from returning to the competition.

“Wang’s behavior is not acceptable and doesn’t reflect Chinese cycling. Hainan people are known for being very friendly,” Tour of Hainan organizers said in a statement. “The image and the reputation of the Tour of Hainan cannot be tarnished by such improper behavior. Fighting will never be permitted in this event.”