Ineos Grenadiers driver Filippo Ganna ended in a nightmare during the fantastic week of the Tour de Provence when he was disqualified in the final stage!
The Italian driver, who made the opening, lost his jersey at the end of the Montagne de Lure climb, but even so, he remained firmly in the top ten overall.
But the good times didn't last long, the organizers updated the list, Ganner's score was changed to "DSQ (disqualification)", and his name disappeared from the final overall ranking.
The reason appears to have been the unauthorized replacement of vehicles in the middle of the race, which UCI events officials believe is a violation of the law.
Ganner was spotted making a short stop after passing the timing point halfway through the last stage, nodding to the camera, and then stopping at the front of the group. He then switched his bike from disc brake to lap brake, which apparently made the lap brake lighter and would give him an edge in the final long-distance climb.
Changing bikes in the middle of the race is within the scope of the rules, but the rider should go to the rear of the group and complete the operation through the team car. Gander violated the rules by changing cars at a pre-arranged location on the side of the road. Such an operation may save him some time, but it seems that the UCI does not buy into his approach
The UCI states: "The technical support provided at fixed locations on the track is limited to wheel replacement, although bicycles can be changed in authorized areas during the race." "
After the Tour de France last year, champion Tadej Poga ar, in an interview, discussed the tactics of changing bikes during races, arguing that the lighter weight of the car would give an advantage in climbing.
Gander entered the stage with a two-second lead over Julian Alaphilippe, ahead of QuickStep-AlphaVinyl, but regardless of whether there was a DSQ on the report card, the overall list of results tended to change significantly after the final day of racing.
Arkéa-Samsic driver Nairo Quintana jumped from tenth overall to championship after finishing a single race at the summit of Montagne de Lure. Ala Filippo eventually finished seventh in this stage after losing the battle with Quintana, which was enough to guarantee him a second place overall.
Edit: Johnny
Image source: Ineos official website