Stage winner Gianni Moscon in the mix zone(Image credit: ASO)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) in the bunch(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) on the move(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) claims third place(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky)on the Il Lombardia podium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) with Gianni Moscon (Sky) on the podium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) finishes Giro dell'Emilia(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon ahead of an angry Alexis Vuillermoz(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) won the sprint for third place at Il Lombardia, showing that he had shrugged off the accusations from the FDJ team that his "dangerous behaviour" at Tuesday's Tre Valli Varesine had caused Sebastien Reichenbach to crash.
Reichenbach suffered a fractured elbow and hip in the crash and claimed that Moscon "intentionally put me on the ground". Reichenbach said he would make a formal police complaint with the support of the FDJ team. He maintains that Moscon deliberately caused the crash as retribution for Reichenbach's part in highlighting how the Team Sky rider had racially abused FDJ's Kevin Reza during the Tour de Romandie in April.
Moscon has denied any wrongdoing in the crash but has been under intense scrutiny after the Tour de Romandie incident and his more recent disqualification from the UCI Road World Championships for taking a tow from the Italian team car.
Moscon apologised and accepted a six-week suspension by Team Sky for hurling racial epithets at Reza. However, he made it clear he is determined to defend his name from the latest accusations.
"I'm not afraid of another ban because I haven't done anything wrong," he told a small gathering of journalists, including Cyclingnews, in the mixed zone after the Il Lombardia podium ceremony.
"The accusations are very serious and they've got to explain and justify them. My name has been damaged by what they wrote. I've got no intention to let anything go this time."
Moscon didn't want to go into the details of the case and the crash at Tre Valli Varesine. He revealed he has already given his version of events to the UCI race judges of the Italian one-day race. It seems the UCI is investigating the case and that Moscon could face further questioning.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"I'm ready to defend myself and I'm not worried because if the truth comes I've got nothing to worry about," Moscon said.
"My version of events, what I told the race judges after the Tre Valli Varesine and what I'll continue to say to the other officials, is that I'm ready to defend my name where I need to.
"I'm really sorry because these things aren't good for me personally or good for cycling. It'd be better if we could all be friends but it seems that's not possible. We'll see how yet another incident with the same team and the same people ends."
Alexis Vuillermoz of AG2R La Mondiale shouted and gesticulated at Moscon after the sprint finish for third place in Como. However, Moscon did not respond, simply turning away and riding to the podium area.
"He said something but I think my sprint was clean. It's not that you have to move out the way if someone wants to do their sprint. He lost but I don't think he had the legs," Moscon said, satisfied with third place after also going on the attack before Nibali made his winning move.
"I can't have any regrets. I attacked halfway up the Civiglio but it was clear that Vincenzo the strongest. Pinot went with him but then blew up. I saw Vincenzo this morning at the start and suggested that he'd win. I was right."
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).
