World champion Peter Sagan has been disqualified from the 2017 Tour de France for causing the crash which looks to have ended Mark Cavendish’s race.
Sagan was initially docked 30 seconds after nudging Cavendish into the barriers at the end of stage four, which was won by Frenchman Arnaud Demare in Vittel.
But the race jury looked at the incident again and announced that the Slovakian’s participation – and his bid to win a record-equalling sixth straight green jersey – is over.
.@arnaudemare s'impose après une chute de Cavendish / @arnaudemare wins the stage, Cavendish crashed #TDF2017 @vittel pic.twitter.com/93HGr6XETq
— Le Tour de France (@LeTour) July 4, 2017
“We have decided to disqualify Peter Sagan from Tour de France 2017 as he endangered some of his colleagues seriously in the final metres of the sprint which happened in Vittel,” said race jury president Philippe Marien.
Cavendish was taken to hospital with his right arm in a sling after taking a nudge from Sagan and falling into the barriers, causing other riders to fall behind him.
Le jury des commissaires a pris la décision de mettre Peter Sagan hors course / Commissaires' panel decided to exclude Peter Sagan. pic.twitter.com/4zaAXhIANT
— Le Tour de France (@LeTour) July 4, 2017
Cavendish could still start stage five of the Tour de France on Wednesday despite suffering multiple injuries.
The Team Dimension Data rider had not sounded optimistic immediately after the 207.5km stage from Mondorf-les-Bains ended, but initial x-rays found no broken bones, leaving open the possibility he will be on the start line in Vittel on Wednesday.
“I’m okay,” Cavendish said. “I’m in a little bit of pain and I’ll go for a few more tests now. But we’ll see – I’ve done the shoulder before so I know how that feels but I’m okay. Got a couple of stitches in my finger.”
Cavendish is treated by medics after his crash (Stephane Mantey, Pool Photo via AP)
Asked about his chances of continuing in the race, he said: “If it doesn’t show anything I’ll try. But in terms of pain, I’ve done my shoulder twice before and I’m in more pain now than I was for one of my shoulders, so that doesn’t make me too optimistic just on feeling.
“But I’m not a doctor so if I can’t make it work I’ll see. But I’m in a little bit of pain right now, I’ve got no movement.
“Ultimately I don’t also want to be a risk to the other riders as well. If I can’t pull on my bars, if I can’t brake with this finger – I don’t want to be a hazard to the other guys.”
???? "I’m used to crashing so it’s fine! I’m all okay." – @GeraintThomas86 ???????? pic.twitter.com/lso0B70NBO
— Team Sky ???? (@TeamSky) July 4, 2017
Sagan was initially docked 30 seconds for his role in the crash, but the race jury looked at the incident again before announcing the Slovakian’s participation – and his bid to win a record-equalling sixth straight green jersey – is over.
“We have decided to disqualify Peter Sagan from Tour de France 2017 as he endangered some of his colleagues seriously in the final metres of the sprint which happened in Vittel,” said race jury president Philippe Marien.
“We applied article 12.104, irregular sprints, in which case commissaires are allowed to enforce a judgement to disqualify a rider and amend a fine.”
"Extraordinaire !" / "Amazing!" @ArnaudDemare #TDF2017 pic.twitter.com/4ZuvBY2J8U
— Le Tour de France (@LeTour) July 4, 2017
That came after Cavendish’s sports director Roger Hammond and performance director Rolf Aldag called for Sagan’s punishment to be upgraded.
Cavendish, a 30-time Tour stage winner, had fought for three months to overcome the Epstein-Barr virus just to make it to the start line in Dusseldorf at the weekend, and an early exit would be a bitter blow.
“My heart has gone to my feet,” Hammond said. “These riders are like my children. That guy has worked so hard to be here.”
Cavendish was likewise unimpressed with Sagan’s bike-handling, saying Sagan elbowed him.
“I was just following Demare and Sagan came over,” he said. “I get on with Peter well but I don’t get the elbow – I’m not a fan of him putting his elbow in me like that.
“A crash is a crash, I’d just like to know about the elbow really.”
Sagan visited the Dimension Data bus after the finish to check on Cavendish.
????????#TDF2017
Mark Cavendish hurt his shoulder and hand. On his way to the hospital for further examinations. More information when available.— Team Dimension Data (@TeamDiData) July 4, 2017
“Mark was coming pretty fast from the back,” the Slovakian said. “I tried but didn’t have time to react to go left. He came to me and I had to defend.”
Asked if he had apologised for the crash, he added: “For sure, because it’s not nice to crash like that.”
Trek-Segafredo’s John Degenkolb had to take evasive action to avoid riding straight into the stricken Manxman, and his bunny hop caused both him and UAE Team Emirates’ Ben Swift to hit the deck.
“You’re just sprinting following the wheel and then all of sudden Degenkolb flicked to try and miss Cavendish who was on the floor, and we both had nowhere to go. I just went flying, me and Degenkolb,” Swift said.
#TourDeTFS@johndegenkolb is very banged up after that crash, but he made it across the line. #TDF2017 pic.twitter.com/PHYy8ps0wV
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) July 4, 2017
“I must have gone 10ft in the air…I hurt my knee a little bit and my shoulder, but we’ll see.”
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