Race news
‘Disrespectful and unfair’ - Marie Schreiber slams jury process after controversial European title decision
Marie Schreiber has strongly criticised the way the jury handled her controversial relegation at the European Cyclocross Championships, claiming she was denied the opportunity to defend herself despite two commissaires reportedly disagreeing with the decision that cost her the title.
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Cor Vos
The fallout from the women's European cyclocross championships continues, with Schreiber now questioning both the verdict and the conduct of the jury responsible for stripping her of what would have been the biggest victory of her career.
The Luxembourg rider crossed the finish line ahead of Lucinda Brand on Saturday, only to see the European title awarded to the Dutch rider after officials ruled that Schreiber had deviated from her line during the final sprint.
Speaking to RTL Luxembourg, Schreiber revealed that the meeting with race officials had left her particularly frustrated.
"After the finish, we were called in to review the footage with the jury. There were three commissaires present, and I tried to explain my side of the story, but I wasn't given the opportunity to do so. I found that incredibly disrespectful and unfair," she said.
According to Schreiber, the disagreement went beyond her own interpretation of the sprint. She claimed that Brand had no objections to the way the finish unfolded and that a majority of the commissaires present had actually supported her position.
"Lucinda herself said afterwards that it was a fair sprint. She hadn't lodged a protest either. The decision came entirely from the jury," Schreiber explained.
"Two of the three commissaires agreed with me. They also believed it was a fair sprint, but the jury president wouldn't change his mind and decided to relegate me anyway."
The decision was ultimately taken under the authority of jury president Ernesto Maggioni, a familiar figure to Schreiber's SD Worx-Protime team.
The Italian had also served as technical commissaire at this year's Giro d'Italia Women, where teammate Lorena Wiebes was disqualified after winning the opening stage when her bike was found to be 20 grams below the minimum weight. The ruling was also confirmed by the UCI and cost Wiebes both the stage victory and the pink jersey.
The Luxembourg Cycling Federation (FSCL) has since appealed to the European Cycling Union (UEC), demanding that the decision be overturned and Schreiber awarded the title.
Despite the disappointment, Schreiber took plenty of positives from her performance. Watching the race footage again during her RTL interview brought back some emotions, but she remained proud of her ride.
"In my opinion, it was the best race I've ever ridden. I can be proud of what I've achieved," she said.
