Two riders were disqualified from the Vuelta a Espana yesterday after they came to fisticuffs on the 16th stage of the grand tour. Russian Ivan Rovny and Italian Gianluca Brambilla's encounter lead to Sean Kelly exclaiming on Eurosport, "it's amazing how you can throw punches on the bike going uphill."
In his Irish Independent Vuelta diary today, Irish rider Philip Deignan alleged that it's not the first time fists have flown during this year's race.
As we hurtled along in the rain at around 50kph, Katusha's Spanish team leader Joaquin Rodriguez, who is fourth overall, took umbrage to my presence and nudged me out a little bit. So I held my ground and nudged him back.
As we continued riding, suddenly, out of the blue, Rodriguez turned towards me and punched me full in the face, splitting my lip and leaving me both stunned and fuming.
The Donegal man managed to restrain himself from retaliating against the Spanish rider known as 'Purito' and says that Rodriguez's team sporting director made him apologise before yesterday's stage.
Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
