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Add a UCI fine of CHF 200 to the list of obstacles Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) overcame to celebrate victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday.
The Italian surprised breakaway rider Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the final 150 metres to grab the win in Waregem. Not once but twice, Ganna had to switch bikes due to mechanical issues, ride back to the reduced peloton, and then finally chase down the breakaway.
He was noted for making extremely fast work of both bike changes, one for a broken front wheel with 48km to go before the Eikenberg climb, and the second when an overly tightened brake lever clamp fractured his handlebar.
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Apparently, it was just after his first mechanical that race officials reviewed his rapid return to the peloton and ruled a "sticky bottle" from the team car had taken place, which was reported first by Sporza.
"The incident happened halfway through the race. The sticky water bottle was therefore not decisive for the race," Sporza noted as being said by one of the race officials. The jury then fined Ganna, and his team was also fined an additional CHF 500.
It has been a delicate subject about how riders and team cars interact for a handful of seconds, in what could be an unfair advantage. A fine and a possible yellow card are the punishments for taking extra time for a water bottle exchange. A harsher punishment is enforced for towing, holding onto a vehicle itself if deemed to be longer than necessary, more than a few seconds, and gives the rider an advantage to regain top speed.
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Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
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