2 riders kicked out of Tour de France after altercation

The French organisers are fixing the race to help Pinot and Alaphillipe.

Rowe made a mistake but both Rowe and Martin shook hands at the finish and made up before the finish. That is enough for only a warning or a fine.

Without their road leader this makes it difficult for Thomas and Bernal - the French organisers are trying to fix the result.

I second TigersTokyoDome comment that the French are blatantly doing everything for their citizen to win the tour. it is ridiculous to ride for 200 km & be kicked out for being competitive & both riders agreed that it was all in competition & no animosity.

Agreed Nandi. The French are desperate to fix this result.

Everyone said these altercations are normal and both riders made up.

I don't know why the French need to fix it this year because it looks like either Pinot or Alaphilippe.

Hopefully this decision will fire up Team Ineos and Thomas and Bernal.

@TigersTokyoDome @Nandi

Do you know anything about road race cycling or do you do yourself some cycling ?

They shook hands afterwards as they had to, just to show a good face and apologize. But I am not sure they will smile together for their next race.

This was bad, malicious, intentional and not acceptable.

Rowe pushed first Kruijswijk and Kruijswijk’s teammate Martin revenged. Pushing and sometimes altercations do happen, but trying to viciously close the passage and make the guy falling is not part of cycling, as Martin did this time, and it should be punished. This was done accordingly.

It has nothing to do with trying to help Alaphilippe or Pinot. Reports outside France were also supportive of the decision.

At worst, if Rowe would have felt doff the bile, and it was a very close call, and been injured, it could have been a criminal issue.

Moscon was also expelled last year after trying to do some boxing. Moscon is known to be a bad guy. And the same the year before for 2 riders in the Giro.