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news
Rigoberto Uran (picture Slipstream Sports).JPGRigoberto Uran’s 20-second Tour de France time penalty overturned
Rigoberto Uran of Cannondale-Drapac is back to within 35 seconds of overall leader Fabio Aru after the race jury overturned a 20-second time penalty it had handed him after yesterday’s Stage 12.
The Colombian rider finished second to AG2R-La Mondiale’s Romain Bardet, but was one of three riders handed a 20-second penalty for taking an illegal drink inside the final 20 kilometres of the stage, as was LottoNL-Jumbo’s George Bennett, who is ninth overall, 4 minutes 4 seconds off the lead.
But Bardet, runner-up to Team Sky’s Chris Froome last year and now third overall, 25 seconds behind Aru, was not sanctioned despite being spotted taking bottle from the same spectators at the roadside as Bennett did.
Uran was handed a bottle by someone who turned out to be an employee of Cannondale France, acting on his own initiative, according to Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Cannondale-Drapac’s management company, Slipstream Sports.
Vaughters also called for greater consistency from the UCI race jury and questioned whether its president, Philippe Marien, was the correct person to lead it following a number of accusations of inconsistent application of the rules during this year’s race.
Writing on Twitter this morning, Vaughters said: “Incredible news!!! @UCI_cycling has reversed decision!!! No penalty for Rigo!!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!”
He added: “I have to be happy. But I never asked for what they did. We accepted the penalty.”
Some social media users wondered whether Bardet not being sanctioned yesterday might be some kind of Gallic conspiracy as the country continues to wait for its first Tour de France winner since Bernard Hinault in 1985.
They will no doubt have noted that by absolving Uran and Bennett, the race jury has ensured they have now been treated the same way as Bardet – while avoiding imposing a 20-second penalty on the AG2R-La Mondiale rider that UCI regulations would appear to require.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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17 comments
In a fashion this is what makes the tour what it is, what can be more Gaelic than a little flexing of the rules?
Rules aren't necessarily being broken outright, but a little flexibility, blind eyes and forgetfulness help keep interest levels and if suits the home riders then even better.
Am I correct in the thinking the commissaires are ASO sanctioned and not UCI?
Not a grey area at all. It's inconsistent application of the rules: two non-French riders sanctioned for drinking. The world points out that a French yellow-jersey contender also took a drink. After some grumbling it's decided that they can't give Bardet a 20 second penalty, so they revoke those of Bennett and Uran. Chapeau Commissaires: another great decision that undermines your race when the world is watching.
Aye!
Short odds on a Bardet win today I would think!
I think the UCI are trying to prise the corrupt crown from FIFA.
What a complete joke these UCI rules, if I was Bora Hansgrohe I'd have another crack at appealing Sagan's disqualification at this rate.
So very, very French. Delighted to see the sheer brazeness and desperation to help the home riders. A highly pragmatic Gallic shrug to avoid a visit to Madame Guillotine on Bastille day, chapeau
Bent as a nine euro note, totally bottled (get it?!?!?) giving bardet a 20" penalty.
Ard they going to reverse the penalty they gave to froome and Porte those years ago too.
Pffff
Good! If there's a grey area, such as exactly who got bottles, where and when, and who from, then leave it as it is. Like what they should have done with Sagan. The race started to sell newspapers and they would do well to remember it's a spectator sport.
Completely agree. It's a stupid rule tbh but rules are rules. Shouldn't have been reversed and Bardet should have been penalised also - it's just unfair to all the other riders who know the rules and adhered to them.
It's pretty simple. France media/fans would have erupted had Bardet received the deserved penalty. So to avoid wailing in the streets, they just overturned the others' penalties.
Surely the riders are briefed on the rules, and even when "offered" should just ride on by?!?
What was in Rigo's bottle?
Within 100m of collecting it, taking a toot, he then ejected both bottle to lighten the bike for the final 5km sprint.
At least Bennet took a good old swig and cooled himself down mid climb.
I love these "rules" - they're so "French".
“I have to be happy. But I never asked for what they did. We accepted the penalty.”
Really, he was whining on twitter earlier this morning that UCI hadn't answered his emails about the incident and weren't considering his appeal. Should have fined the lot of them though. 'spectators' offering drinks to riders, should all be treated with suspicion anyway. Flagrant flouting of the rules to gain an edge mustn't be allowed, unless it's the result of an unwritten rule, obviously.
They knew the rules, surely taking that drink (and therefore breaking the rule) gave them a physical edge over all the othe riders who didn't break the rule?
UCI have made some poor decisions this tour.
Sorry for my ignorance but what is this sort of rule supposed to do?
There are parts of the stage when you cannot take a feed / bottle. This is why Porte & Froome got into trouble on Alpe D'Huez when Porte went back to the car for a gel. I've lifted the following from elsewhere and hoping that it is accurate:
The distances quoted in the rules can be changed (e.g. very hot weather) but I believe this has to be announced before the start of the stage.
The Cannondale employee handing up the bottle in the prohibited area was from marketing dept and not connected with or sanctioned by the team, according to Vaughters, complaining about the commissaires in this CN article.
Could you imagine if the tour came down to Bardet losing by 20 seconds after they'd given him a penalty? That would never do so rather than penalise all it was easier to drop the existing penalties. So very, very French.
It's intended to remove clutter/traffic from critical parts of the race, although one could well argue there are several where taking on drinks/food is allowed that are critical also. Ensures the team cars aren't in the mix cluttering up, and prevents sticky bottle.