Rider relegated after 'terrible decision' at Vuelta a Espana – can you figure out why?

Published 06/09/2024 at 14:05 GMT

Equipo Kern Pharma may be basking in the most unlikely of stage hat-tricks at the Vuelta a Espana, but there is still room to be miffed after a "terrible, terrible decision" led to one of their riders being relegated on Thursday. Spanish rider Pau Miquel was bumped down from third place to ninth in the aftermath of Stage 18. Why? We're not so sure and neither are the Eurosport experts...

'A terrible, terrible decision' – Blythe fumes after Miquel relegated

A "terrible, terrible decision" has got everyone talking at the Vuelta a Espana after Pau Miquel (Equipo Kern Pharma) was relegated for... well, we're not entirely sure.

Equipo Kern Pharma saw Urko Berrade hold on for a brilliant win on Thursday's Stage 18, with Miquel making it a one-three for the second-tier wildcard team.

But despite nothing seeming untoward in the finale, Miquel was later relegated from third place to ninth over an "irregular sprint" by the race jury.

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The 'infringement' appeared to occur in the final straight as Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) chased, and then overhauled Miquel, in the battle for second. Replays showed Miquel making the slightest of movements to the left as Schmid appeared on the scene, but the whole affair left Adam Blythe and Dani Rowe baffled on The Breakaway.

"There is nothing to discuss. This is a terrible, terrible decision from the jury. He did nothing wrong," vented Blythe as he reviewed the incident.

"Schmid was able to get into his slipstream and he just rode past him, there was nothing wrong that he did."

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On second viewing, he continued: "How much has he actually moved? I'd say 10 inches, if that. It's just nonsense."

Rowe added: "Also, relegated because of impeding a guy that beat him? It's crazy."

The bizarre relegation is unlikely to upset Equipo Kern Pharma too much after Berrade's win completed a dream hat-trick of stage victories for the team.

However, Blythe was not finished as he turned on the race jury.

"I just think they are making themselves look like half-wits, to be honest," he said. "I know that sounds pretty harsh, but they are.

"There was literally nothing wrong with that, and they've just given out a relegation. It probably means the world to that rider that he was third on a stage that his team-mate won.

"And they've just gone, 'no, you're not having that because you moved 14 centimetres across the road'. Ridiculous."

Pablo Castrillo started the Equipo Kern Pharma party by winning Stages 12 and 15 last week.

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