Cavendish’s lead-out man Mark Renshaw thrown out of Tour
by VeloNews.com
- July 15, 2010
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Australian Mark Renshaw has been thrown off the Tour de France for trying to headbutt rival Julian Dean during a bunch sprint finish to the end of the 11th stage, race officials said.
Renshaw, the lead-out man for stage winner Mark Cavendish, was shown by television pictures trying to headbutt the Garmin-Transitions rider from New
Zealand three times in the final 400 meters of the home straight.
Cavendish then raced ahead towards eventual victory, his third this year on the race and 13th in three participations, with Renshaw then seen trying to
block Dean’s sprinter, Tyler Farrar, as the American tried to come up the inside of the barriers.
Top race official Jean-Francois Pescheux said after the race: “Renshaw was declassified immediately but we have decided to also throw him off the race.
“We’ve only seen the pictures once, but his actions are plain for all to see. This is a bike race, not a gladiator’s arena.”