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Don't they look at it differently depending on the importance of the moment the crash happens though? It can be argued that Demarre wouldn't have been able to go for the win without the help, or that he had more than others who made it back but where fucked out by it.
I can't remember the Italian rider that got a time penalty for getting a huge lift from a team car after a mechanical last year-probably Scarponi-but it was caught by the helicopter so made for an entertaining gif so maybe that's why they cracked down...
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It was Nibali.
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Nibali. And that was a piss take, as he left the group he was in for dead.
Until footage turns up of Demare doing the same, he's in the clear. The Chief Commissaires was aware of the allegations shortly after the finish, but none of his team saw anything untoward so he can't DQ based on hearsay.
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That was Nibali at the Vuelta, in fact, he withdrew from the race.
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This is why having wishy washy rules/decisions bites them on the arse.
It's either allowed or not allowed to receive assistance from a car. I thought a couple of years ago they were making car-based mechanical repairs illegal for 'safety reasons' - did that not happen?
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andyp
Breso
hippy
Doubtful. The commissaires have no evidence of wrong doing so it's hard to see what they can base a DQ on.
The media coverage is making it more of an issue than it really is. Riders get help from team cars in every single race on the calendar. The commissaires know this and turn a blind eye unless it's blatant.