After changing into the primary rider to obtain a yellow card beneath the UCI’s new rule on the Tour Down Under, Danny van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) has grow to be the primary rider to obtain two yellow playing cards, netting his second on the UAE Tour.
Van Poppel completed eighth on stage 6 into Abu Dhabi Breakwater, however was subsequently penalised for a similar cause he was in January: “Deviation from the chosen line that obstructs or endangers one other rider.” The rider the Dutchman impeded was Arvid de Kleij (Tudor), who gesticulated previous the end line, irritated on the manoeuvre.
While Van Poppel has obtained his second yellow card sanction of the season, he isn’t vulnerable to suspension in any respect, with extra severe punishments solely coming into play if the offender will get yellow carded twice in the identical race or receives three inside a 30-day interval.
Neither apply on this case so it’s going to merely be added to Van Poppel’s tally for the yr. If he receives 4 extra (six whole) inside a yr of his first, which he obtained on January 22, he might be suspended for 30 days.
Van Poppel was additionally relegated from eighth to final place in his group – twenty fifth. He was additionally fined 500 CHF.
What do riders and workers consider the brand new rule utility in sprinting?
Use of the brand new yellow card rule has seen 10 riders handed the sanction thus far however essentially the most talked about are for deviations in sprints, with inconsistent rulings on relegations lately and dash finishes changing into extra harmful a part of the rationale the UCI moved in direction of this new system.
However, whereas the brand new system continues to be in its teething interval so to talk, the inconsistency downside for some might be simply as problematic because it was earlier than.
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“I believe from what I’ve seen thus far, which is Tour Down Under and UAE – the races I’ve been current at, I would not say they have been lax giving out yellow playing cards however there’s in all probability been some alternatives the place they might’ve given out extra,” former prime lead-out rider and XDS Astana DS Mark Renshaw informed Cyclingnews.
“In the Tour Down Under, they gave out a number of however there was one rider particularly that in the event that they have been just a little bit stiffer on the principles, may’ve had three yellow playing cards.
“So it might be teething interval however for me, do I stress to the riders to alter their type? No. But they should perceive that the sprints at the moment are extra watched than ever so that they should be right in the best way they’re sprinting.”
Van Poppel himself additionally commented on the rule as the primary rider to obtain one, with no qualms concerning the one he obtained in Australia and likewise seeing it primarily as a optimistic, however equally noting that the consistency with which the rule is used has already been considerably of a difficulty.
“Of course, one thing needed to change as a result of biking is getting actually harmful. But my frustration level is that I see already some sprints the place they do not give a yellow card [but could have],” Van Poppel informed Cyclingnews earlier than stage 4, talking effectively forward of receiving his second.
“So for me, they should deal with all people the identical and do the appropriate factor. They punished me in Tour Down Under however then you definitely see issues in different races and I’m sitting on the sofa at residence and it is actually irritating to see that they don’t seem to be constant.
“But we needed to do one thing for security, so it is a good factor. You want an expert ex-sprinter to try this however within the UCI there aren’t actually skilled ex-sprinters in order that’s additionally just a little irritating to see however in the long run, it is OK for me and it is perhaps a wake-up name for biking.”
Other sprinters have been much less outspoken, as they are not required to alter a lot, if something, with nobody getting down to make a transfer that might be penalised within the first place.
“It’s a rule that the UCI implements and look it is also a brand new system so let’s examine what they do with it however yeah we simply should adapt as riders,” Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) informed Cyclingnews earlier than stage 5.
The Belgian was relegated on stage 1 of the UAE Tour for “Deviation from the chosen line that obstructs” however did not obtain a yellow card because the decrease pace incident did not “endanger” Finn Fisher-Black, the rider he impeded.
De Kleijn gave his opinion to Cyclingnews forward of stage 4: “I believe it will not change that a lot however I believe it is a good system to flag issues down that aren’t allowed. But for now, it will not change an excessive amount of.”
Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) additionally answered diplomatically when the brand new ruling was introduced up in his stage 1 winner’s press convention, “Like at all times in the long run, all the fellows within the group are by no means making an attempt to make ‘unhealthy strikes’ and so we aren’t trying to take yellow playing cards or crimson playing cards.
“We are attempting to method it in one of the best ways we will like at all times after which it is as much as the jury whether or not or not they resolve one thing.”