Organisers of the GP de Denain-Porte du Hainaut have issued a revision to the race communique, handing winner Alec Segaert (Bahrain Victorious) a penalty and yellow card for "Using a non-compliant position or point of support on the bicycle that represents a danger to the rider or competitors".
Segaert, whose solo escape in Wednesday's Nokere Koerse was nullified within the final hundred metres, attacked again in Denain, this time hanging on by an equally narrow margin to claim his first victory since 2024.
The Belgian had been off the front with Per Strand Hagenes (Visma-Lease a Bike) for some 50km before dropping him with 2.5km to go as the chasing peloton began to close in.
While Bahrain Victorious, when asked, could not confirm the exact incident that led to the ruling, they said "It's the UCI rules and we will respect this ruling".
Segaert's aerodynamic position used in that final pursuit may have been what earned him the penalty. UCI rule 2.2.025 states, "Using the forearms as a point of support on the handlebar is prohibited except in time trials..."
That rule was introduced in 2021 as part of safety reforms, and has caught out several riders, including Marianne Vos, who was disqualified from the PostNord Vårgårda WestSweden Road Race in 2022 for a violation.
Segaert could be seen in a low, aerodynamic position with his hands near the hoods, but with his forearms seeming to be in contact with the tops of the handlebars, which could be considered a rule violation.
The UCI technical guide states: "The rider shall normally assume a sitting position on the bicycle. This position requires that the only points of support are the following: the feet on the pedals, the hands on the handlebars and the seat on the saddle."
Segaert kept his result thanks to some leeway in the rules that define the penalty as a "CHF 500 fine, 15 points from UCI rankings and elimination or disqualification and/or yellow card". The yellow card puts him at risk of a suspension if he were to get three yellow cards in a 30-day period.
The UCI has issued 34 yellow cards so far in 2026 and 304 since formally rolling out the system at the start of 2025.
So far, the only rider to receive a suspension for multiple yellow cards was Oscar Riesebeek, who received two during the Baloise Belgium Tour in 2025, leading to a seven-day ban.
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