Trek-Segafredo may have taken 1st and 3rd at Paris-Roubaix today with Elisa Longo Borghini and Lucinda Brand but the team's ride of the season, Elisa Balsamo, was disqualified.
The world champion, who has already collected four victories this season, was chasing back after a puncture when she took a leaf out of compatriot Vincenzo Nibali's book and got a sticky bottle from the team car.
The Italian and team personnel hung onto the same bottle for a prolonged period. They were caught on camera and - perhaps most damning - passed other riders as Balsamo was being towed from the car.
The 24-year-old suffered a punctured at Mons-en-Pévèle with 48km to go and as she was chasing back she took the tow. The TV cameras later showed her team car informing her she had been disqualified.
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“Unfortunately, Elisa Balsamo has been disqualified for chasing back to the bunch illegally (sticky bottle). She has been pulled from the race,” her team said while the race was still underway.
