UCI Jury Rejects Action Over 8-Second Tour Femmes Blocking Row
Updated
Updated · Outside Magazine · Aug 9
UCI Jury Rejects Action Over 8-Second Tour Femmes Blocking Row
3 articles · Updated · Outside Magazine · Aug 9
Summary
Saturday’s official jury report said “nothing to report,” leaving Kasia Niewiadoma’s accusation that Célia Gery deliberately blocked her without fines, yellow cards or other sanctions.
Canyon-SRAM had lodged a formal complaint after the incident, but any change now would require an appeal to the UCI Disciplinary Commission rather than the race jury.
Demi Vollering then capitalized on the decisive moment, attacking to win stage 8 and reclaim the yellow jersey before Sunday’s finale in Nice.
Elisa Longo Borghini, who was directly behind Niewiadoma, said the pace was too intense to judge the corner and called Vollering simply the strongest rider.
Just 8 seconds separate Vollering and Niewiadoma heading into four climbs of the Col d’Eze, with the unresolved dispute dominating the race’s final-day buildup.
Did a deliberate blockade cost Kasia Niewiadoma the yellow jersey, or was it simply a masterclass in team tactics by FDJ-Suez?
With the UCI strictly policing aerodynamics, why did race officials completely dismiss the explosive physical blocking allegations at the Tour de France Femmes?