Warren Barguil disqualified from Paris-Nice for drafting team car
The French road race champion had come down in a nasty crash alongside Romain Bardet

Warren Barguil's crash during stage one of Paris-Nice 2020 (Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images)
Warren Barguil has been disqualified from Paris-Nice 2020 after he drafted his team car following a crash on stage one.
The race jury made the decision following the conclusion of the opening day of the French stage race, won by Bora-Hansgrohe's Max Schachmann.
The Arkéa-Samsic rider was also fined 200 Swiss Francs (around £160) and his sports director Yvon Caer 500 CHF over the incident.
Caer was fined an additional 500 CHF for not respecting the instructions of the race commissaires and will also have the last place in the team car convoy for stage two as the French squad look to aid Nairo Quintana's hopes for overall victory.
With 65km to go, Warren Barguil was brought down alongside Romain Bardet, with the Ag2r La Mondiale rider left clutching his elbow before gingerly getting back on his bike.
Barguil looked in rough shape as he lay sprawled out on the tarmac before he was quickly attended to by team staff. Eventually, he got up and remounted, then pedalling slowly behind his team car as the race went up the road ahead.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
He then got off his bike, seemingly to abandon the race, before giving some choice words to the tv moto that had stopped to capture the moment, with the Frenchman then getting back on his bike and persisting.
Barguil eventually finished fourth last on the stage in 132nd, nearly 15 minutes down.
At the 2019 Yorkshire Worlds, the Netherlands' Nils Eekhoff won the men's U23 road race before being disqualified for drafting behind his team car.
Instead, Italy's Samuele Battistella was awarded the victory in what was a hotly debated moment of the championships.
Paris-Nice continues until next Sunday, with many top riders arriving in Paris-Nice following the cancellation of Italy's March races, including Tirreno-Adriatico, due to the developing coronavirus outbreak.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
No.22 Bicycles takes legal action against alleged imitator, warns public about knockoff cycling goods
'Imitating the name and branding as a shortcut to launching knockoff products harms both consumers and the industry,' says the American brand
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
'Really, really dangerous' - crashes mar finish of Classic Brugge-De Panne as Juan Sebastián Molano wins
Pile-ups take Tim Merlier and Olav Kooij out of race finale
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Jonas Vingegaard out of Volta a Catalunya after Paris-Nice crash
Visma-Lease a Bike say two-time Tour de France winner needs more time to recover from wrist injury sustained in France last week
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson aiming to 'set the bar higher' and target a Grand Tour after securing second Paris-Nice title
American explained that targeting a win in one of the sport's biggest three-week races was now the logical next step in his career
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson rules out Tour de France leadership after Jonas Vingegaard's withdrawal from Paris-Nice
The American is on the cusp of a second consecutive victory at the Race to the Sun
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mattias Skjelmose: 'Cycling is a relentless sport. One day you feel great, the next everything can change in a split second'
Lidl-Trek rider was forced to abandon Paris-Nice after a heavy crash on stage seven
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
-
'A tough day' - Mads Pedersen outsprints Josh Tarling to win Paris-Nice stage 6 after echelons chaos
Wind forces GC shake-up as Matteo Jorgenson holds race lead
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Jonas Vingegaard abandons Paris-Nice after stage 5 crash
Former Tour de France winner to recover from injuries at home
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'Given the circumstances, it's very impressive that he finished this stage' - Jonas Vingegaard crashes at Paris-Nice, loses 26 seconds on stage 5
Visma-Lease a Bike rider left with cut on lip and and ceded race lead on Thursday, understood to have hurt wrist
By Adam Becket Published
-
'The legs were on fire' - Lenny Martinez powers to victory on stage 5 of Paris-Nice as Matteo Jorgenson moves back into the race lead
American takes over the yellow jersey after Jonas Vingegaard ships time on steep final climb to La Côte-Saint-André
By Tom Thewlis Published