Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) was penalised for obstruction on the run toward the stage 2 sprint at the Tour de Hongrie, but the rider still got to keep his stage runner-up spot behind Mark Cavendish (Astana-Qazaqstan).
Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe), who started the day in the race leader's jersey after winning stage 1, was riding on Cavendish's wheel ahead of a sweeping right-hand bend less than a kilometre from the finish line. But then Groenewegen came across and pushed Welsford off the Manxman's wheel.
A fine of "CHF 200, 20% penalty in points classification and 10 seconds penalty for infringement" was handed to Groenewegen in the Communique of the Commissaires panel included with the stage 2 results. The penalty was due to the "obstruction by a rider in order to prevent movement of another rider".
After the contact with Groenewegen, Welsford pulled out of the charging bunch and came to a standstill. Bora-Hansgrohe said on social media that Welsford had "hit the curb and punctured while battling for positions in the finale". As a result, the rider came over the line more than a minute and a half back. However, the communication in the official results said that due to the mechanical problem in the last 3km, he was credited with the time of the winner.
That means Welsford retained his place near the top of the overall standings, with bonus seconds taken during the stage shifting Martin Voltr (Pierre Baguette Cycling) into the top spot, while the winners of the first two stages – Welsford and Cavendish – sit five seconds back in second and third overall.
Groenewegen – who was given a nine-month ban for his part in a crash involving Fabio Jakobsen at the Tour de Pologne in 2020 – is now sitting 96th on the tight GC, 19 seconds back.
It is the second stage in a row where penalties have been imposed due to actions in the final sprint. On stage 1 a crash took down multiple riders as the charge to the line was unfolding, with Campbell Stewart (Jayco-AlUla) hitting the ground hard after peeling off after leading out Groenewegen when Emils Liepins (DSM-Firmenich Post NL) appeared to swing across his path and clip his front wheel.
Liepins was penalised for a "deviation from the chosen line that obstructs or endangers rider(s) during the final sprint" and was given a fine and a 25% penalty in the points classification. He was also relegated to last place in the bunch on the stage.
The sprinters are likely to take a back seat at the five-day race on Friday, with the climb-heavy stage 3 set to stretch out the general classification and send the climbers to the top of the rankings.
The 183km stage from Kazincbarcika to Gyöngyös-Kékestető features a category-two ascent before then heading to a 12km, 5.6%, category-one summit finish.
#TourdeHongrie Stage 2 Finish 📽️ pic.twitter.com/LEEAotK6hWMay 9, 2024
