Vuelta a España 2015: Vincenzo Nibali under fire after blaming Aussie rider Caleb Ewan for stage two crash
Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali has been under criticism after blaming Australia’s young cycling star Caleb Ewan for a crash during the stage two of the Vuelta a España. Nibali was expelled from the Spanish Vuelta after TV images showed that Astana’s team car towed the Italian rider.
Nibali, the winner of the 2014 Tour de France, has come under fire after accusing Ewan for causing a crash at the stage two of the three-week race in Spain. The 30-year-old Nibali joined a number of riders who crashed 30 kilometres from the finish line of the 158.7 kilometre ride from the Alhaurin de la Torre to Caminito del Rey.
"The crash was the fault of Caleb Ewan who did a crazy, aggressive move," Nibali said, reports SBS.
Orica-GreenEDGE media manager Brian Nygaard also took to the social media platform to confront the Italian cyclist. Nygaard claimed that Nibali had gotten his facts wrong, saying that Ewan was at the back when the accident happened.
Nibali: you not only got the rules wrong, but also the facts. Caleb Ewan was at the back when it happened. He did not cause the crash.
— Brian Nygaard (@nygaardbn) August 24, 2015Ewan’s manager Jason Bakker defended the Aussie youngster, posting a message on Twitter that Nibali was not acting like a champion by pointing his finger at Ewan. Bakker also believes Ewan deserves an apology from Team Astana’s lead rider.
The clock is ticking @vincenzonibali. Common decency demands you provide @CalebEwan an apology, in public. Unacceptable situation.
— Jason Bakker (@jasonrbakker) August 24, 2015Meanwhile, Nibali defended his late-race tactics that led to his disqualification. Nibali apologised for his actions, but he believes he only deserves a time penalty for the two instead of an expulsion from the Vuelta.
“I thought I’d get a hefty fine and kicked down the classification. I would’ve accepted a penalty of 10 minutes! After all, I’m not the first or the last in this type of story,” reports Velo News.
Fellow Aussie rider David Tanner of IAM Cycling team has been dropped from the Vuelta after he was involved in the crash. Tanner suffered multiple abrasions and bruises, but not hip or pelvis fracture. Team Astana’s Italian rider Paolo Tiralongo was forced to quit the race due to a laceration to his face sustained in Sunday’s crash.
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