(Reuters) – Polish rider Filip Maciejuk of Bahrain Victorious has been suspended for one month for contributing to a crash during the Tour of Flanders in April, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old rode up the side of the peloton on a footpath before losing control and swerving into other riders, causing a domino effect and numerous riders going down.
“The Disciplinary Commission found the rider to have acted in breach of … regulations for having caused the crash of several riders in the peloton after riding outside of the race course and through a puddle on the roadside,” UCI said.
The rider will serve a 30-day period of suspension, starting on July 25, the world governing body added.
“The UCI is committed to continuing its work to make road cycling a safer sport for riders and reiterates that dangerous behaviour has no place in modern cycling,” UCI said.
“It is strictly prohibited for riders to use sidewalks, lanes or cycle paths that do not form part of the race course and … any breach of the rules … which causes immediate risk to others shall be subject to disciplinary action.”
Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar won the race to add another monument title to his collection following his successes on the Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2021 and the Giro di Lombardia in 2021 and 2022.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
