Reusser handed yellow card at Giro d’Italia Women for intimidation
Race leader is fined and penalised UCI points for directing intimidating and insulting behaviour towards another rider.
Marlen Reusser (Movistar) was given a yellow card after an incident in the final few hundred metres of the Giro d’Italia Women on Thursday.
The stage, the flattest of the race’s eight, had been split in a section of crosswinds and Reusser, who has led the race since finishing third on stage four, was penalised for ‘Intimidation, insults directed to a rider and behaviour that endangers others’ by the race commissaires.
In addition to the yellow card she also received a CHF700 fine and was penalised 30 UCI points. Should she receive another yellow card during the race she would be disqualified under regulations introduced by the UCI this year.
The incident can bee seen on the television coverage, Reusser waving her arm towards Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health), who had been part of the day’s early breakaway. Reusser does not appear to strike or make contact with Ragusa, and sources have confirmed this to Domestique. Despite this, the Movistar team accept the punishment for their rider.
It is also understood that Human Powered Health made no representations about the incident to the race commissaires, the American squad viewing it as a racing incident.
The incident occurred in the closing few kilometres of the stage between Mirano and Monselice, when Reusser apparently clashed with Ragusa. The two can be seen close together throughout the final 10km and, with about three kilometres to go, Reusser can be seen waving her arm towards the Italian all-rounder.
Inside the final kilometre Reusser loses the wheel on a tight left hand bend and then again when her team mate, Liane Lippert, opened her sprint. Ragusa appears to have no other involvement.
Reusser was one of the main favourites to win this year’s Giro and took the race lead after winning the opening stage time trial. Though she ceded the maglia rosa to Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) the following day, Reusser regained the lead on stage four, finishing third on the mountain top finish at Pianezze.
The Giro continues on Friday, stage six taking the riders on a gnarly, hilly 145km between Bellaria-Igea Marina and Terre Roveresche.
