Brambilla, Rovny Thrown Out of Vuelta for Mid-Race Fight
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Sept 08, 2014 – Italian Gianluca Brambilla and Russia’s Ivan Rovny were disqualified from the Tour of Spain on Monday after coming to blows during the 16th stage from San Martin del Rey Aurelio to La Farrapona.
AFP/Yuzuru Sunada
In bizarre circumstances both men landed punches and elbowed each other whilst continuing to cycle as they made up a breakaway group of 13 riders.
Rovny even had to ask for a new pair of sunglasses from his Tinkoff-Saxo team car as they were broken in the bust up.
Lucky Bouhanni wasn’t around MT @encaguimu: “@IgnaConde: #LaVuelta https://t.co/SKzkdG3UDy” @agbegines1969
— daniel (@cyclingreporter) September 8, 2014
It was originally announced that tour organizers would take a decision on sanctions at the end of the stage, but with Brambilla still part of a lead group of three with just 15 kilometers to go both teams were instructed to tell their riders to stop as they had been disqualified.
Gianluca Brambilla has reportedly been kicked out of #LaVuelta for punching Ivan Rovny. https://t.co/DEoz7ohi4A
— peloton magazine (@pelotonmagazine) September 8, 2014