Peter Sagan could still be reinstated to Tour de France
World champion Peter Sagan could still be reinstated to the Tour de France despite missing two stages after his disqualification.
His Bora-hansgrohe team has launched an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The squad argues while he was disqualified on Tuesday and so missed yesterday’s and today’s stages, he could still get back into the event.
It argues that under UCI rules the commissaires were obliged to consult with Sagan before he was disqualified.
And because the world champion was not afforded the opportunity to outline his version of the sprint incident with Mark Cavendish, his exclusion from the race is invalid.
If the appeal was successful and Sagan reinstated it would be an unprecedented move for the race.
Bora-hansgrohe said its lawyers had lodged an appeal with the CAS yesterday.
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It included an “urgent motion to suspend the decision of the commissaires panel” which was also confirmed by UCI president Brian Cookson.
“The Team and Peter Sagan would like to reiterate their position that Peter Sagan did not cause, let alone deliberately, the fall of Mark Cavendish on the last 200m of the fourth stage on July 4, 2017,” Bora-hansgrohe said.
“Peter Sagan stayed on his line and could not see Mark Cavendish on the right side.
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“Although the UCI cycling regulations provide unambiguously that it is mandatory to hear a rider before any disciplinary decision is taken... Peter Sagan has not been given an opportunity to explain to the commissaires panel his point of view.”
It quoted the UCI’s rule 12.2.006: ‘The Commissaires Panel may judge the matter only if the offending party has had a chance to defend his point of view […]’.
The team continued: “If the motion to suspend, on which the CAS will have to decide now, is granted, Peter Sagan will immediately re-engage in the Tour.
“And, together with the team Bora–hansgrohe, compete for a successful Tour de France 2017.”
Sagan and Cavendish tangle in Vittel
Sagan was disqualified from the Tour de France over crash at the end of stage 4 in Vittel.
The world champion’s elbow sent Cavendish (Dimension Data) into the crowd control barriers at the side of the road.
And when Cavendish fell, hitting both the barriers and then the tarmac, others behind him also came down.
John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) and Ben Swift (UAE Emirates) both fell very hard.
Sagan sprinted on and ended the stage 2nd behind victor Arnaud Demare (FDJ).
And though Sagan went to Cavendish’s team bus to apologise, he was eventually disqualified.
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