Francesco Reda winning the opening stage and taking the first yellow jersey in the Rás was a major embarassment. Now he's been disqualified (Photo: Paul Mohan - Sportsfile)
Having won the opening stage of the An Post Rás yesterday from Dunboyne to Carlow after pulling clear from the main escape in a two-man move, Francesco Reda (Team Idea 2010 ASD) has been disqualified from the race.
Stickybottle understands he punctured during today’s stage 2 from Carlow to Tipperary and that he was seen taking a tow from a team vehicle.
He was said to be holding on to the car rather than simply drafting behind it; the latter a practice to which a blind eye is turned.
Initial reports suggest he was warned to desist but continued to take the tow, though the news was still breaking at the time of writing.
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Reda, centre, appears on the podium last evening after his stage win. But no official photos emerged of him in the yellow jersey, which is unusual for a race so heavily branded by An Post.
His victory on yesterday’s stage was a major embarrassment to the race as he had just returned from a ban imposed for missing drug testing.
His taking the opening stage prompted a lot of debate on social media, some of it questioning why he was in the field.
No photos of him in the yellow jersey were released by the race last night, which is unusual in the Rás which is heavily branded and promoted by sponsor An Post.
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In his absence, the man he pulled clear with yesterday Lukas Postlberger (Tirol Cycling) assumes the race lead.
More to follow.
Brief stage result, provisional
1 Aaron Gate (An Post Chain Reaction) 3 hours 29 mins 26 secs
2 Alex Frame (NEW ZEALAND National Team)
3 Davide Vigano (Team IDEA 2010 ASD)
4 Lukas Postlberger (Tirol Cycling Team)
5 Liam Holohan (Madison Genesis)
6 Jaap de Man (Team 3M) all same time
General Classification, provisional
1 Lukas Postlberger (Tirol Cycling Team) 7 hours 1 min 54 secs
2 Martyn Irvine (Madison Genesis) at 58 secs
3 Robert Partridge (NFTO) at 1 min 1 sec
4 Michael Cuming (JLT Condor) at 1 min 3 secs
5 Jaap de Man (Team 3M) at 1 min 4 secs
County rider: Ian Richardson (UCD)
Points: Postleberger
Young rider: De Man
Mountains: Patridge
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