Rubbin's Racin': We've Got Punches Being Thrown And Riders Getting Kicked Out Of The Tour de France For "Acts Of Violence"
CyclingNews - Team Ineos road captain Luke Rowe [red shirt] and Jumbo-Visma‘s Tony Martin [yellow shirt] have been expelled from the Tour de France after an incident that took place during stage 17 to Gap. Both riders were found guilty of assault according to Article 2.12.007/8.2.1 of the UCI code.
The pair clashed on the final category 4 climb of the stage. First Martin appeared to try and take Rowe off the road by serving to the right. Video footage then shows Rowe raise his hand to Martin’s face a few minutes later. The pair are then caught shoulder to shoulder at the front of the peloton as they clashed for a third time…
…The UCI later released a press release that confirmed the riders’ punishment. Both had been expelled from the race, handed 1,000 CHF fines and docked 50 UCI points. Article 8.2.1 of the UCI code covers assault, intimidation, insults, threats, improper conduct [including pulling the jersey or saddle of another rider, blow with the helmet, knee, elbow, shoulder, foot or hand etc], behaviour that is indecent or that endangers others.
***WARNING: The video you are about to see contains graphic content. It is incredibly violent and is not suitable for younger viewers.***
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That…that’s it? That’s what was considered an “act of violence”? That’s what got these riders booted from the race and “found guilty of assault”? Uhhhh I’m sorry but I’ve been under the assumption my entire life that rubbing is racing. Looks to me like the boys were just jostling for position here. And from what I can understand, Luke Rowe and Tony Martin are essentially the enforcers for their teams. They are the guys who lead the pack to get their team’s top rider into a position to be able to take off. So if both of these guys are pretty much the bodyguards for their team, I feel like “act of violence” should just be a part of their job description. Not something that ends up getting them kicked out of the tour.
Back in my day, riders used to rip some darts in the middle of the race.
Back when the men could be men. You think that these legends would blow a little altercation like this completely out of proportion? Of course not. I bet these dudes would just beat the shit out of each other for fun back then. Probably choked each other out with their bike chains. It was a simpler time back then. But nowadays we have all these guys out here just chugging some kale smoothies or some shit during the race, and you’re not even allowed to bump somebody without getting disqualified from the race and fined. It’s sad to see, but I guess these are just the times we live in.