Martinez loses mountain jersey after 'sticky bottle' penalty at Tour de France

Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious) has been docked eight points in the mountains classification after repeatedly holding onto his team car during stage 18 of the Tour de France on the Col du Glandon, on a day which sees him drop from first to third in the mountains classification. 

Martinez initially broke away with thirteen other riders after Tim Wellens (UAE Emirates-XRG) made the first move on the Col du Glandon. When he struggled to maintain contact, television cameras captured Martinez's sports director providing extended assistance under the guise of bidon handoffs and food provisions.

The 22-year-old French climber was seen clinging onto his director on multiple occasions, performing the 'sticky bottle' technique, which helped him return to the breakaway as they approached the summit of the 'hors categorie' climb.

At the summit of the Col du Glandon, Martinez outsprinted Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) to initially take the maximum 20 points for the hors categorie climb, before the race jury reviewed the footage and took action. 

The race jury confirmed the eight-point penalty for Martinez shortly after the finish of stage 18 on Thursday evening, reducing Martinez's tally in the mountains classification from 80 to 72 points. 

Tadej Pogačar now leads the mountains classification on 105 points with Jonas Vingegaard on 89 points, and the Dane will wear the Polka dot jersey on behalf of Pogačar, who will be in yellow once again on stage 19 to La Plagne. Martinez will return to racing in regular Bahrain-Victorious kit. Arensman sits fourth in the standings on 65 points, but it looks increasingly likely that Pogačar will win the mountains classification by default if he continues to ride the way he is.