Add a UCI fine of CHF 200 to the list of obstacles Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) overcame to celebrate victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday.
The Italian surprised breakaway rider Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the final 150 metres to grab the win in Waregem. Not once but twice, Ganna had to switch bikes due to mechanical issues, ride back to the reduced peloton, and then finally chase down the breakaway.
He was noted for making extremely fast work of both bike changes, one for a broken front wheel with 48km to go before the Eikenberg climb, and the second when an overly tightened brake lever clamp fractured his handlebar.
Apparently, it was just after his first mechanical that race officials reviewed his rapid return to the peloton and ruled a "sticky bottle" from the team car had taken place, which was reported first by Sporza.
"The incident happened halfway through the race. The sticky water bottle was therefore not decisive for the race," Sporza noted as being said by one of the race officials. The jury then fined Ganna, and his team was also fined an additional CHF 500.
It has been a delicate subject about how riders and team cars interact for a handful of seconds, in what could be an unfair advantage. A fine and a possible yellow card are the punishments for a sticky bottle - holding on for a few seconds. A harsher punishment is enforced for towing, holding onto a vehicle itself for more than five seconds.
Last week at E3 Saxo Bank, Visma-Lease a Bike's Axel Zingle was disqualified for taking a long two from the team car.
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