The strict technical rules cost an Italian professional cyclist his victory at the weekend. Despite an outstanding solo ride, he was stripped of his title. That causes discussions.
The celebrated victory didn’t last long. The Italian professional cyclist Filippo D’Aiuto from the General Store – Essegibi – F.lli team. won the 168-kilometer Memorial Polse road race in Italy at the weekend. Then there was a controversial decision by the rules keepers.
After his strong solo ride over 60 kilometers, the jury subsequently revoked his victory. The Italian rider was disqualified because, according to UCI regulations, the distance between his brake levers did not meet the regulations.
The jury explained that the position of the brake and gear levers no longer corresponded to the permissible specifications after a fall on a gravel section. From the officials’ point of view, this was a case of non-compliance with the regulations, even though D’Aiuto had started the ride with a bike that complied with the regulations.
The disqualification led to discussions in the scene. D’Aiuto’s team explained that the change in question occurred as a result of a fall and was not intentional. The racing team considered the punishment to be unreasonably harsh.
The team and driver react with a clear statement
“Filippo D’Aiuto started the race with a bike correctly adjusted in all components. The fall he suffered on the gravel section resulted in a change in the position of the levers, which were closer together than permitted due to the impact,” the team wrote in a statement.
“The team notes and respects the jury’s decision, although it strongly criticizes it given the excellent performance of D’Aiuto, who crossed the finish line first after a 60 km solo ride,” it continued.
The unlucky raven was more than served after the decision. “I won, there’s nothing more to say,” he told “Ciclismoweb” after the race. “I fell, which caused my brake levers to bend inwards. My victory was taken away because the levers didn’t comply with the regulations.”
