Belgian Tour rider apologises for 'inappropriate' sexual remarks

The 31-year-old, who won a stage of the Tour in 2013, got himself into hot water after giving what he thought was a humourous reply to a question about sexual abstention during the three-week Tour.

After making a reference to pornographic movies, he added in an interview in Wednesday's Het Laastse Nieuws: "There are also the podium hostesses."

At the end of each Tour stage, the podium hostesses -- usually tall, leggy models -- present the yellow jersey to the overall race leader as well as the other jerseys being contested, before posing for photos on the podium with the jersey holders.

Bakelants, who is married and has a young daughter, further compounded his gaff by adding later that he would pack condoms in his suitcase for the Tour because "you never know where those podium hostesses have been".

However, after Tour organisers ASO demanded an apology for the "sexist" remarks, a contrite Bakelants took to Twitter to express his remorse.

"My sincerest apologies to all those offended by my words in a so called humouristic itw (interview). My words have been inappropriate," he said.