CYCLING: Following his elbow on Mark Cavendish …
End of the Tour de France for Peter Sagan. After commissioners’ decision, the Slovak world champion has been disqualified from the the race after his sprint in Vittel. In the wheel of the day’s winner Arnaud Démare, Sagan gave a nudge to Mark Cavendish who crashed at full speed into the railings. The Englishman has severely injured his wrist.
Un sprint final houleux entre @petosagan et @MarkCavendish ! Sanction possible pour le Slovaque? #TDF2017 #VeloClub pic.twitter.com/FmuDKpeIR4
— francetv sport (@francetvsport) July 4, 2017
.@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
The Slovak, five times green jersey winner of the Tour and twice world champion title, has so quit the Tour heads down, with a stage win (Monday) and plenty of controversy.
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
Does Peter Sagan deserve disqualification from the race? Opinions are divided. For the former sprinter Jean-Patrick Nazon, Sagan on the limit but does nothing wrong. “We have seen worse. This is striking because it is in the last 50 meters but it is classic in a sprint, he said. Sagan is still well ahead of Cavendish and puts out an elbow. This is not a usual gesture at Cavendish who is behind … It does not merit disqualification. ” Robbie McEwen, triple green jersey in the Tour de France in the 2000s, does not agree.
I’ve now been able to watch the replay of the sprint a few times. Sagan deserves DQ on that one. Hope @MarkCavendish is ok. That was heavy
— Robbie McEwen (@mcewenrobbie) July 4, 2017
Pineau : “Je suis navré de vous dire ça, mais ce que vient de faire Sagan est un attentat” #rmclive https://t.co/BOUBMnR7qB
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) July 4, 2017
Quick thinking in any case for Cavendish, who is also rolled over by two other competitors when he was down. The images are very wrong. A few minutes after arrival to the finish line, the Slovak went to apologize to “Cav”. Mark Cavendish left in an ambulance to the hospital to take an examination and X-ray. It is feared a broken wrist and/or clavicle. According to France Télévisions, the Briton and his team Dimension Data does not yet know yet, if he will continue.