(AFP) – Top World Tour cycling team Deceuninck-Quick-Step made an official apology "to all women" on Friday as the fall-out continued from a rider feigning a sexual act behind a waitress as a photo was being taken at the Tour of San Juan in Argentina.

Patrick Lefevere, director of the Belgium-based Quick-Step who racked up 90 wins in 2018, said sorry in a public statement for the incident that happened after the waitress asked for a group photo with the athletes, wearing their cycling gear.

Belgian Iljo Keisse, 36, was thrown off the Tour of San Juan and fined for public indecency after simulating the sexual gesture behind the woman with four of his teammates also in the snap.

The 18-year-old victim swiftly filed complaints with the race organisers and the police.

As the fall-out gathers pace, Lefevere, who initially brushed off the incident, made a public apology on Friday.

"Sincere apologies for everything that has happened these past few days, not only to the woman involved in this regrettable incident, but to all women, all our fans and our sponsors," Lefevere said.

"As a team we are aware that one of our principal roles should be to educate our riders and ensure they are respectful."

Lefevere initially reacted with anger after the Tour organisers threw culprit Keisse off the race, and threatened to withdraw his entire team.

But Keisse apologised on his Twitter account on Tuesday.

"I want to apologize for the gesture during a photo taken this week," he wrote. "I didn't want to offend anybody and I deeply regret it.

"I know I've made a mistake but I'm not a disrespectful person. I'm really sorry."

Going into Friday's decisive mountain stage, Quick-Step's top star Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe topped the overall standings in the race that ends Sunday.