Fernando Gaviria relegated after DSM tussle at Giro d'Italia stage 6 sprint

SCALEA, Italy (VN) — Fernando Gaviria just can’t find a break in this Giro d’Italia. Or at least not the right kind.

The Colombian sprinter ace got sandwiched between the wheels of Team DSM’s Cees Bol and Alberto Dainese, and received a yellow card with relegation to the bottom of the front group results sheet.

It all came at the end of a wild sprint after a slow, relatively uneventful stage along Italy’s southern coast.

“I didn’t get to do the sprint I wanted today,” Gaviria said after the stage. “There was a bit of rough and tumble in the final, but thankfully everyone stayed upright.”

Also read: Gaviria angry after mechanical in Giro sprint

Gaviria jumped on the wheel of Bol as Dainese pounced to make the leadout. As Dainese moved right to make way for Bol, both Gaviria and Bol were caught on the wrong side of the wheel.

As Dainese kept sweeping right, Bol and Gaviria leaned into each other, with the Colombian pushing his weight into Bol to try to stay upright.

Gaviria reacted in anger as Dianese inadvertently closed the door on both his teammate and Gaviria, but the jury relegated the Colombian.

“I think we were in a really good position coming into the final. In the finish, it was a chaotic sprint. Alberto was doing a really good leadout there, and seemed like there a bit of coming together,” said Team DSM sport director Matt Winston. “And unfortunately it stopped us from being able to sprint.”

Gaviria, who was angry at the finish line Wednesday after a mechanical issue, tried to look at the bright side of the situation.

“The legs are really good so I’m hoping to get a big result soon in this Giro,” Gaviria said. “We just need to be patient.”