Peter Sagan has been disqualified from the Tour de France following a crash which resulted in Mark Cavendish being taken to the hospital on Stage 4.
Sagan and Cavendish were side-by-side, sprinting toward the finish line Tuesday when the world champion stuck out his right elbow as Cavendish attempted to pass him on the right.
Cavendish slammed into the barrier on the side of the roadway and remained on the ground for several minutes. He was able to get back on his bike and cross the finish line after receiving medical treatment on the course.
Sagan went to the Team Dimension Data bus immediately after the race to check on Cavendish and the pair had a brief conversation.
Tour Jury President Philippe Marien said: “We decided to disqualify Peter Sagan from Tour de France 2017, as he endangered some of his colleagues seriously in the final metres of the sprint in Vittel.”
Cavendish was sent to the hospital for further checks after the race, but the 30-time Tour stage-winner spoke to the media before departing.
“I gotta get it [his injuries] looked at. I have to speak with Peter. Injury-wise I’m going to go and get it checked out,” Cavendish said. “I will definitely need stitches in this finger, it’s bleeding a lot. With the shoulder, it might be something to do with a previous injury, it’s sat backwards so I’m not sure if I’ve done something to the ligament.
“I’m not a doctor but from the feelings I’m not optimistic. I get on with Peter well, but I don’t get it … if he came across it’s one thing, but the elbow … I’m not a fan of him putting his elbow in like that.
“I get on with Peter, a crash is a crash, but I’d just like to know about the elbow.”
Sagan, 27, won Stage 3 of the Tour on Sunday in a sprint finish.
