Riding the criterium at the Suir Valley Three Day, but Michael Ashurst's (centre, in yellow) ban has been extended into next season after a further infringement.
A rider who was banned from racing after he joined a race he had not entered and was judged to have undertaken racing moves and chased other riders down has had his ban extended.
This time Michael Ashurst, who has raced in Ireland with the Champion System-VCUK team, rode a time trial on June 1st.
He posted the fastest time in the test and when his participation was noticed his four-month ban for his original offence was increased to a full 12 months.
Ashurst, who has ridden Kerry Group Rás Mumhan and the Suir Valley Three Day in Ireland, strenuously denied the initial offence and reports in the UK suggest he believed he could ride the club TT in June because it was not a British Cycling event.
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In April he was suspended for the very unusual role he played in the Frank Morgan Memorial Race in the UK on March 27th.
The case was examined by British Cycling’s disciplinary committee, which handed down the suspension.
According to its ruling, Ashurst played a real role in the race, a proposition he has denied.
“On 27 March, 2016, Michael Ashurst was not entered in the above event,” the ruling said of the race which began at the North Mersey Business Centre.
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“However, Mr Ashurst became involved in the event and undertook some racing moves; chasing down riders and riding to prevent other riders bridging the gap between the breakaway group which contained two of his club mates.
“Mr Ashurst joined the event after the first six laps and he continued his disruption for approximatelyeight laps.
“Mr Ashurst was asked by riders in the peloton to leave the race, however Mr Ashurst refused.”
Ashurst, who was 13th overall at Rás Mumhan last year, was fined £100 as well as being suspended from racing for four months.
His ban was set to conclude on July 27th last, having been backdated to March 28th - the day after he joined the race.
After the incident, Ashurst had continued to race – as he was entitled to – and indeed had won three times.
But while he should now be racing again at the conclusion of the initial four-month ban it has emerged he rode the St Helens and Wigan Wheelers club 10 mile TT on June 1st while banned; winning it in a time of 20:35.
And now his ban has been increased to a full 12 months because he raced while banned.
The club TT was a Cycling Time Trials event but that association and British Cycling recognise each other’s bans, a fact it is suggested Ashurst was not aware of.
