Race officers disqualified Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) from Exact Cross collection Beringen on Saturday for deliberately stomping on Ryan Kamp’s (Alpecin-Deceuninck) bike after the pair crashed mid-race on a muddy descent.
The Belgian Champion later apologised for his actions and mentioned he understood why officers determined to disqualify him from the race after pulling him from the circuit and into the mechanic’s pits on the sixth lap.
“I perceive the choice of the jury to dsq me right now in Beringen. My acts after the arduous crash have been made in a rage of anger and don’t belong on this sport,” Iserbyt mentioned in an announcement on Twitter following the race.
“For this, I need to apologise to everybody concerned. Now I’ll deal with the constructive issues and look ahead to the subsequent races!”
On lap 5 of eight, a five-rider lead group held solely a slim lead over eventual winner Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions), who was in a chase group with Iserbyt and Kamp. Van der Haar used that as a possibility to punch to the entrance and shut the hole.
Just as they reconnected with the leaders, Iserbyt and Kamp crashed on a muddy descent, their bikes tangled into the fencing on the left facet of the slim course.
Iserbyt untangled himself from the orange fencing first and picked up his bike, however then appeared to have deliberately stomped on Kamp’s bike as he tried to get again on the course.
Kamp struggled to untangle his handlebars from the fencing, and he appeared visibly upset at Iserbyt’s actions. Kamp grabbed ahold of Iserbyt’s jersey to try to cease the rider and the pair then exchanged phrases.
Video footage then confirmed each riders attempting to get their bikes functioning once more. Iserbyt was again on his bike first and raced towards the pits to take a spare bike. Kamp, however, was compelled to run to the pits, unable to repair his bike which appeared to have a damaged rear derailleur and a dangling chain. Kamp finally reached the pits and obtained a spare bike however was a lot too far again to reconnect with the lead group.
Iserbyt began the sixth lap over a minute behind the race leaders and Kamp crossed the road at over 1:30 again.
An official was ready for Iserbyt as he approached the pits on that lap. The official and Iserbyt spoke briefly earlier than the rider then exited the course, disqualified from the competitors.
Kamp was in a position to end the race in twenty second place at 3:50 behind.
Iserbyt later informed HLN that whereas he regretted his actions at Exact Cross Beringen, he and Kamp have been at odds since final season, accusing Kamp of chopping forward of him on the course unnecessarily in earlier races.
“That response was not crucial,” Iserbyt informed HLN. “It occurred within the warmth of the battle. There was one thing simmering between us since final season. He reduce off at locations the place it was not crucial or the place it merely couldn’t be accomplished. But anyway, my response was not good.”