PUTRAJAYA – UAE Team Emirates sprinter Juan Sebastian Molano was trying to disengage from the finishing bunch when his handlebar got stuck with another rider’s, a move that resulted in his disqualification as the Stage 2 winner of the 2022 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) yesterday.
Speaking to the media, team sports director Fabrizio Guidi stressed that Molano had no intention to act aggressively towards the other rider, and had instead made a defensive move to save himself.
“He got stuck two, three times in the bunch sprint as they raced towards the finish line,” Guidi said.
“As the group was going left and right, a rider came too close to his handlebar. So it was a defensive move from Molano, it was not aggressive.
“But it is just the way it is and as a rider he was not allowed to do that.”
Guidi added that the team has accepted the decision and aims to focus on the remaining six stages as the 124.2km Stage 3 race flagged off from Putrajaya heading towards Genting Highlands today.
“The most important thing is to look forward, and Molano is a strong contender, so he has to show that.
“He has to try to behave, and as a rider, accept the decision. We cannot look back,” said Guidi.
The 27-year-old Molano was initially named the Stage 2 (Kuala Klawang-Raub) winner yesterday before the organiser announced his disqualification as the stage winner due to irregular sprinting late last night.
As such, Ara Pro Racing Sunshine’s Craig Wiggins, who was initially in the second spot, was automatically crowned as the new champion.
“When I crossed the finish line and came in second, we always thought that we wanted to win but not through relegation.
“But we are still really stoked as a team,” said Wiggins, an Australian. – The Vibes, October 13, 2022
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