French police had to stop Jan-Willem van Schip after latest disqualification

The 31-year-old Dutchman, racing for Azerion/Villa Valkenburg, was removed from the race by UCI commissaires over what was described in the official report as the use of non compliant clothing. Van Schip, however, did not immediately accept the decision and continued riding despite being instructed to leave the course.

The situation was also made clear over race radio. In an audio message from the commissaires, Italian official Rosella Bonfanti could be heard telling the race convoy that rider number 31 had refused to abandon the race after his disqualification and would have to be stopped by the gendarmerie.

According to Ouest France, the situation escalated when the rider ignored the officials’ orders. With Van Schip still on the road, members of the gendarmerie who were present along the route stepped in to stop him.

His final stage exclusion was linked to clothing deemed not to comply with UCI rules. In addition to being disqualified, Van Schip received a further fine for failing to follow instructions from race officials and organisers.

Later, Van Schip gave his own account of the incident on Instagram. “In the final stage I attacked and put my bottle under my shirt,” he wrote. “The jury car immediately came alongside me and I asked: ‘Is my riding position okay now?’ The man completely lost it.”

According to Van Schip, he then tried to understand what the issue was. “I asked: ‘What is the problem? Can I leave the bottle with you, or should I throw it away here?’” he said. “I found it very strange. For a long time I did not get any clarity about what the problem actually was. I was only told that I was being taken out of the race. Afterwards, I was told I had been disqualified because I had a bottle in my shirt.”

The bottle can act as an aerodynamic fairing, smoothing the airflow around the upper body and reducing drag.

The incident is the latest in a run of disciplinary clashes involving the Dutch rider. Earlier this season, he was also disqualified at the Tour of Hellas, while he was removed from the Tour of Holland last year after another rules dispute. Van Schip has long been known as a rider willing to explore the limits of aerodynamics, equipment setup and position on the bike, but that approach has increasingly brought him into conflict with commissaires.

Sunday’s episode in France marks another controversial moment in a season that has already seen Van Schip become one of the most closely scrutinised riders in the peloton.