Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) finished second(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon helps look atfter his team leader(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) in Valencia(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sébastian Reichenbach (FDJ) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) has told Cyclingnews he has not officially heard from the UCI regarding the on-going disciplinary investigation into allegations that he intentionally caused Sebastian Reichenbach to crash during the Tre Valli Varesine race, despite a report in La Gazzetta dello Sport that the Italian will be questioned on Monday, April 9 – the day after this year's Paris-Roubaix.
Reichenbach crashed on a descent after 75km of the Italian one-day race, and his FDJ team quickly accused Moscon of 'dangerous behaviour'. Reichenbach, who fractured his pelvis and elbow in the crash, called for Moscon to be punished and called on the UCI to take action, suggesting that Moscon deliberately caused the crash as retribution for his part in highlighting how the Team Sky rider had racially abused FDJ's Kevin Reza during the Tour de Romandie in April.
"I'm filing a complaint against Gianni Moscon because he intentionally put me on the ground," Reichenbach told Le Nouvelliste newspaper in October.
UCI president David Lappartient said in December that the UCI needed to be "strong on this" after the Tour de Romandie incident and Moscon's disqualification from the UCI Road World Championships for taking a tow from the Italian team car.
Moscon has always denied any wrongdoing, suggesting that Reinchenbach's hands slipped from his handlebars on a rough section of road. He claims he has a witness that backs his position, while Reichenbach has appealed for any photos or video evidence of his crash.
"The accusations are very serious and they've got to explain and justify them," Moscon said after finishing third at Il Lombardia. "My name has been damaged by what they wrote. I've got no intention to let anything go this time."
Moscon is riding Tirreno-Adriatico as he prepares for the spring Classics and is expected to be one of Team Sky's leader for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix – where he finished fifth in 2017. If the April 9 date is confirmed then he will be able to complete his spring campaign before any final verdict in the case.
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Moscon appeared unperturbed as he prepared to help Geraint Thomas defend the overall race lead at Tirreno-Adriatico on Saturday, insisting that he does not know about being questioned by the UCI.
"I haven't received a formal notification that I'll be questioned by the UCI. I don't know where La Gazzetta dello Sport got that date from. They could have even plucked it out of the air," Moscon told Cyclingnews just before the start of the stage.
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Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
