Nacer Bouhanni (full center) during a stage of the Tour of Saudi Arabia, February 7, 2020. – Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP
Nacer Bouhanni apologizes. The French sprinter packed a Groupama-FDJ rider against the barriers in the final of the Cholet-Pays de Loire race on Sunday. The latter, Jake Stewart, sharply criticized him on Twitter, supporting images. The Frenchman of the Arkéa-Samsic formation, third on the line but downgraded, explained in a statement that this dangerous behavior was not intentional.
“I just wanted to take the suction”
“I want to say I’m sorry for Jake Stewart. The sprint went like this: I see Élie Viviani launching, and I want to take his wake. I admit that my mistake was to change course to take his wheel, explains Bouhanni. I don’t see Jake Stewart at this time. When we come into contact with each other I find myself unbalanced and I catch myself as best I can so as not to fall. I just wanted to take the suction because the wind was coming from the front, right side, by no means was it intentional. “
Still, the former sprinter of Cofidis could be penalized. The UCI announced on Monday that it was going to seize its disciplinary committee and ask for “sanctions suited to the seriousness of the act complained of”.