Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates) has been disqualified from Critérium du Dauphiné after striking out at Hugo Page (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) during stage 6 into Gap today.
The incident occurred with 10km to go when the UAE Team Emirates rider could be seen initially pulling green jersey wearer Page back towards him by the hip. He then struck out at Page and finally hit him on the head.
However, Molano then went on to win the bunch sprint for 7th place, after the six-man breakaway survived out front and Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies) attacked from the escape group in the final kilometre to win.
Though he was placed on the stage, Molano was called up by the commissaires immediately the race ended. He has now been disqualified and removed from the result of today's stage, with Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies) moved up to 7th place.
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“You don't, he's crazy”, Page said of Molano at the stage end in Gap. “It's not because I'm 20 that he has to do something like that. At ten kilometers from the finish, he suddenly shouted at me because he said I was cutting off the road. But that wasn't the case at all. He hasn't even apologised."
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For his part, Molano told journalist Daniel Friebe: "It’s not the first time I’ve had problems with this guy at the race. I’m sorry but I’d had it up to here with him."
However, in a team statement, Molano later apologised, saying: "On the run-in to the finish it was fast and tense and in the heat of the moment I made a dangerous mistake.
"I'd like to apologise to Hugo Page and to all the riders for what happened. I understand why I was disqualified and can only say I regret it and learn from it."
