It was just last month that Jan Willem van Schip said 'I don't really feel welcome in cycling' after his second disqualification in eight months, and now he has another.
This time the Azerion-Villa Valkenburg rider was taken out of the race on the final stage of the 2.2 UCI classified Ronde de L'Oise, adding another DSQ listing.
Dutch rider Van Schip claimed in an Instagram post that the reason he was ultimately given for the disqualification on stage 4 was a water bottle in the front of his jersey.
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"I attack and tuck my water bottle under my shirt,” Van Schip said in the translated Instagram post reported on by Wielerflits. “The jury rode past immediately and I asked: ‘Is my cycling position okay now?’ The man completely freaked out. I asked: ‘What is the problem? Can I hide the water bottle with you, or do I have to throw it away here?’”
“I found it very strange,” said Van Schip. “For a long time, I didn’t get any clarity on exactly what the problem was; I was only told that I was being taken out of the race. Afterwards, I was told that I was being disqualified because I had a water bottle in my jersey.”
The jury report, according to ProCycling Stats, cites rule 2.12.007 3.2: 'Use of non-compliant clothing, helmet or any other item or accessory worn by the rider'. On top of the disqualification, a fine of CHF 200 was issued, but that wasn't the end of it.
Also listed was a penalty under rule 2.12.007 8.1: 'Failing to respect the instructions of the organiser or commissaires'. That added CHF 100 to the fine tally on the stage.
It is unclear how Van Schip exactly broke the rules. The UCI recently announced a new rule banning internal pockets on the front of jerseys to stop riders stuffing food and bottles that could act as an aerodynamic chest fairing. However, this rule is only set to come into force from July 1, and it's not known whether Van Schip's jersey featured an internal pocket or not.
The upcoming rule also states that riders can stuff items in their jerseys "if necessary considering the race circumstances and not beyond the time strictly necessary (e.g. carrying bottles or rain jacket from team car to teammates)".
Van Schip was also fined on stage 2 of the Ronde de L'Oise for 'using a non-compliant position or point of support on the bicycle that represents a danger to the rider or competitors'.
Before the Ronde de L'Oise, Van Schip's previous disqualification was in the Tour of Hellas, that time with the rider punished for 'using a non-compliant position of point of support'.
Before that it was the Tour of Holland in October of 2025 when he was disqualified after riding with an unconventional seatpost with a kink forward. There was another DSQ in 2024 at Heistse Pijl and he was also disqualified from the 2021 Baloise Belgium Tour with handlebars that were deemed illegal the issue.
Apart from yet another disqualification for Van Schip, the Azerion-Villa Valkenburg team walked away from the race with a stage victory from Mathis Avondts on the second day of racing, with Van Schip's position in the breakaway on that stage making it so that the team could conserve energy ahead of the mass sprint. Stef Koning was the squad's best-placed rider overall at the four-stage race, which was won by Australian champion Patrick Eddy (Team Brennan).
