2021 was a year to remember for sprinter Nasser Bouhanni (open in new tab) of Alcare Samsic (open in new tab).

The 31-year-old French rider was disqualified at the GP Chorée Pays de Loire when Stewart jumped on winner Elia Viviani (Cofidis) and hit the barriers. Stewart broke a bone in his hand and missed the Tour of Flanders, while Bouhanni was suspended for two months for dangerous sprinting.

Bouhanni was the target of online racist abuse and was withdrawn from competing in Scheldepri.

"After the suspension by the UCI, I became really unstable," Bouhanni told L'Equipe. (Open in new tab)

"I was so fed up that I didn't want to talk anymore. It was very difficult to accept. In fact, I did not understand everything about the story. It is true that mistakes were made, but I could never have imagined that it would turn out this way."

"I don't disagree that there was a foul and that I changed my line, but it was never to hurt my opponent. It was to win the race," Bukhani said.

His actions were not much different from those of other riders who were disqualified for irregular sprints but not suspended.

Bouhanni's reputation and past demotions may have led to his suspension, but after the race he insisted that he was "not a thug."

"People are quick to attach a reputation," he told l'Equipe.

"I'm a unique rider, but mostly just a regular guy. People who really know me can talk about it. Of course, people who don't know me can criticize me. But I don't care. As long as everything is going well with the people I surround myself with on a daily basis, that's the main thing."

Bouhanni was selected to represent his team in the Tour de France and came close several times to winning his first Tour stage, but his best result in Fougères was second behind Mark Cavendish. He also finished third twice in the other two sprints.

"I did what I could to come back in pretty good shape for the Tour de France. I just wanted to race a little bit more. It wasn't a big deal. I was in contention for the win, but still missed the win," he explained.

With two more years added to his contract with Arkea-Samsic, Bouhanni hopes to finally stage his home Grand Tour in 2022. Although Arkea Samsic is a professional team, it finished second in the 2021 pro team standings behind Alpecin Phoenix, earning an invitation to the 2022 World Tour race.

"If I don't make it, I tell myself it had to be this way. That's life and that's sport. But I know I will do everything I can to win a stage at the Tour," Bouhanni said.