Tour of Turkey 2024 Stage 3 Highlights: Fair Play or Foul? The Sprint Decision

Tour of Turkey 2024 stage 3 highlights. Was that the right call for the jury to regulate Danny van Poppel in the sprint and give victory to Giovanni Lonardi? Make sure you don't miss out, tune in for the rest of the race here flosports.link/3w1hh52
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[@7081_H]

I wouldn't blame van Poppel but the organizers for that turn in the last few meters. A bunch sprint in a turn may not be their best idea.

[@MNBKWORK]

If Poppel gets relegated for that, Jasper Philipsen has some funky tour de France finishes tho... I'm just saying

[@philchevrier]

That's exactly what came to my mind as well... Philipsen had some very questionable ones as well and was never penalized.

[@marek9784]

No one is denying that jasper some rediculous wins that he should of been relegated

[@palexander5090]

Thank you! EXACTLY what I was saying. You're NOT going to relegate Lil PP-sen, then you shouldn't relegate Van Poppel. Grmay and friends have a LOT more to complain about!

[@oli4572]

Insane to set a sprint final on such loose cobblestones...

[@53glowe]

Loose???

[@oli4572]

@@53gloweThe older this double-t cobblestones pavement is, the more it wobbles. Besides that, due to it's joints, it has far less fiction compared with regular tar pavement. A security issue for every sprint...

[@enekkers]

This is what you get when your last 200 meter isn't straight but is a turn. The organisation should think better about the course.

[@rossmurray6849]

No. Look at the 2:52 point of this video. There was a straight of about 100 metres at the finish. Within that distance van Poppel went from blocking anyone coming past on his right to blocking anyone coming past on his left. I've seen worse infringements go unpunished but this one is right.

[@emielsproviewbot1423]

its the tour of turky what did you expect. they have a bent or a downhill finish in almost all their stages.

[@cyczanin]

I'd suggest to organisers to make it even narrower

[@hoogabooga9736]

just keep your line. there was no reason relative to this course to deviate from the right to left barrier. you're running the risk of cookie cutter similar courses for every race which is uninteresting.

[@alanwllms5172]

Pro cycling continues to shoot itself in the foot. That finish was asking for trouble. Perhaps that's what the TV wants for a story

[@KaiserM3]

If blocking is not allowed then should be a penalty, many people saying was a curve bla bla bla, but yet he clearly blocks

[@ArnyRimmer]

It was a clasic dirty spirnt by van Poppel. Well done! The only surprise is his relagation by UCI. These dirties are usually tolerated or even celebrated.

[@GrouEEf]

Horrible route planning.

[@playmoreguitar5393]

All good that.. those Jasper wins last year tho ........ Well.....

[@RandomUsername34]

What genius decided this was an optimal piece of road for a sprint finish??

[@jmalie976]

Beter punish the one who designed the stage. Finishing in a curve ....

[@ramoverde4133]

Jup!

[@dtrg65]

racers know how to handle that. first to the bend wins.

[@hudsonmalta9947]

A turn in the last meters? A shitty fault from the organizers, not DVP.

[@kickinit333]

Right decision. At 3:27 there are straight lines on the road, the warning track has yellow lines. He knew what he was doing. Blocking.

[@markfellows2268]

Justice served, can't block the man off like Van Poppel did. Street very narrow for sprint though, not the best run in.

[@Cyclist_Adanvanture]

What a battle. 💥

[@davestow7434]

Watching it live I thought DVPs move was a little bit naughty. I'm not surprised the positions were changed.

[@leerobinson732]

The finish a copy of Michael Matthews sprint at Flanders. He was related so why not van poppel ?

[@leerobinson732]

Poppels movement to the left was quite gradual I don't think it caused any risk

[@Buffel8719]

Not the fould off v Poppel. A corner to the finish... organisation blame youre self😅

[@dangurtler7177]

There should never be a sprint finish into a funnel nor into a curve. This is being done intentionally and the UCI should not allow these types of finish on a sprint stage.

[@matchinu]

One of those front on shots of Danny looks like he didn't realize the turn was coming until the moment he was putting lonardi in the barrier then we he realized it was too late for anyone to come around anyway

[@georgelane6350]

This absolutely is a breach of the rules. Can the UCI just draw a line I'm the sand and either enforce the rules consistently or change it to a rule they are willing to enforce

[@mucklark6943]

BS decision. Van Poppel had his head down and was still going straight until he realised that he'd gone through the curve and was already on the left side of the road. Who puts a curve into the last 100m of a sprint ! ToT is always a mess.

[@tjtennisicmroll2k]

So your argument is that because he wasn’t watching the road curve, it was fine to run riders off the road? Funny because everyone else said it was ok because he was taking the shortest way around the curve on purpose because that is the fastest line.

[@revelationdetailers894]

It's sprinting in a funneled road......what would anyone expect! When you are smashing those pedals and the frame torques from the power exerted......it is hard to keep a line. Fair.....not foul. The race organizers need wide open finish lines for this reason.

[@faosa73]

He blocked him for sure, there is a clear separation no need to change his line

[@oslargotte7945]

This was not th courses fault.... 3:24 the curve is over, it's straight to the finish. DVP is furthest on the right side, so any attack must come from the left. The he just shoots over there so noone has a chance...

[@ForeverDayGreen]

I can see where you are coming from, but at the same time Poppel doesn't really deviate from his line. He just picked a really bad line, because he almost hit the right side barrier at the start of his sprint and then over corrected. I think judgement should depend on the exact wording of the rule. If it states that the rider has to stay on his line until limited by the boundaries then that is exactly what van Poppel did. If it states, that the rider has to pick a line that is the shortest route towards the finish then van Poppel should have stayed towards the right and be dq'd

[@tychoMX]

@@ForeverDayGreen maybe not malicious, but definitely "irregular". And yes, the ruling reads "the lane". So it's not a straight line from the sprint, more like a track lane in running races. Similar to the markings in the velodrome.

[@ForeverDayGreen]

@@tychoMX in that case he should be DQ'd. Maybe organizers should start to actually paint temporary lanes in the last 500m to help enforce this rule and make it easier for riders. On a bendy finish with irregular pavement like today its just way to easy to lose your lane apparently. After all van Poppel wasn't the only one to do it.

[@petermaniaty7013]

100% agree, the curve was done by the time he really shifted across. He rolled the dice, might have gotten away with it another day, but on this day the Comms called his bluff. Relegation was correct IMO.

[@brotherfranciz]

​@@ForeverDayGreen lol over-corrected? That's laughable! How can you "over-correct" so much as to move from the right side barrier to the left side barrier?! Ridiculous!

[@simonrano8072]

Pidcock did much worst in the MTB sprint race at Glasgow, causing a rider to crash in the last turn. But England Princess was not sanctionned, same for send the half the peloton down and Alahpilippe to the hospital at Liège 2022.

[@vincenta1382]

The finish design is bad but he was clearly blocking, he started at the center of the road and ended up against the barriers, he 100% needed to lose the stage.

[@rellazusky7876]

Once Bauhaus did this to Kooij... But there was no relegation...

[@dtrg65]

CLEAN SIT DOWN

[@manx1569]

Correct to disqual

[@dakalla]

All good there.. Van Poppel closed the door, but he didn't push him off. He was still behind him. Thats racing.

[@rubencrdlh]

Too narrow this final sprint... What a shame

[@edwarddelacruz5893]

I think Lunardi was unfairly denied by Van Poppel.

[@barendvanderlinde2530]

That's why you need to be in front.

[@thomasrealist6181]

Foul, if you have ever been riding on that kind of speed you know you can't make a curve. Sad for both of them

[@LukaszRogowiczYamaortodks]

He deliberately reached the barriers, blocking his rival's path, and that's it 🤷

[@ahmeterkinozmen4149]

Eddy Merckx is still my favourite biker since I'm old. Greets

[@davidclymo7285]

You're supposed to hold your line . He moved over on the guy. That is never called anymore.

[@juanrobledo941]

Van Poppel changed sprint lane from right end to left end blocking Lonardi to avoid pass him. I think was a correct decision.

[@tychoMX]

That is the correct ruling. People are confusing direct path with line with lane. It's the last one that's in the rules. Once the sprint is lauched you are required to keep your relative position on the road.

[@thefrener794]

Hold your line and just sprint. Every rider by now knows the new rules. Sometimes you will get away with it but not every time.

[@sexyhemch]

that not the rules.

[@filipsoltys5504]

he did hold his line, coming out of the turn he went straight from the apex to the finish line. that finish was just too close after the turn

[@tychoMX]

@@sexyhemch that is the rules. In fact, the ruling says specifically "lane". Not even line, lane.

[@lechprotean]

are the lanes drawn out in this corner?

[@frederikleblanko]

If you start your sprint 5 meters from the barrier and end it 50cm from it, you know you are in the wrong. End of discussion

[@corcoranger]

These sprint finishes should be submitted for approval before the race starts, to the UCI or whatever governing body in that particular country has. It brings unnecessary problems for the riders at the end of a long stage and nobody deserves to be relegated for piss poor planning.

[@douglasbooth6836]

Not quite a scandal. It’s called racing.

[@tomchaplin4124]

Narrow cobbled corner to the finish. Terrible course planning!

[@FFdo.]

blocking/touches/elbows exists since cycling was borned. Anyone who claims this was unfair, go watch football.

[@paulwinstone6700]

I blame zwift , it’s why riders can’t take corners 😂😂 The correct decision, you can’t just arrow straight across a corner and shut the door , sprinting head down is also a big no no

[@chinorecoba208]

Simplemente horrible lugar elegido para un sprint encima calle de adoquines. Pudo haber sido un final con desgracia Saludos desde Uruguay 🇺🇾

[@Slow.Smooth]

Great ruling. Turn in the final 200 bad but dudes got to sprint straight. Follow the barriers

[@alexspencer7170]

I think it is harsh, Lonardi was closing a little but it is down to the poor layout in the last 200m......if you watch it a few times, you can see why van poppel thought it was fine and celebrating as it appears he has going straight, really hard one to judge that.

[@SPMech1]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@viraltahun2023]

Second win is champions real

[@angelodanilomaione5785]

Non c'era lo spazio per passare non ha cambiato traiettoria tutto regolare

[@cjitaya]

Correct decision. And don't blame the organizers. Van Poppel went from the complete right side of the road all the way to the left. You can't sweep the road like that once you've started your sprint.

[@steverobertsdesign]

The last push across was too much, rest of sprint okish

[@smal1393]

Cobble stone, corner, narrow track, not the best circumstances for a finish.

[@vilmarojas693]

very clear he cant hold his line, from right to left

[@dfinma]

bro went from one side of the road to the other, not very nice.

[@danielmacdonald721]

Sprints are chaotic and not for the fainted hearted, always have been and always will be. To win sprints you need the explosive watts, solid race IQ and leadout and importantly you need to have balls.

[@vishaltripathy3620]

i remember sagan pushing people who coming near him while sprinting that fast( he had to). definitely not for faint of heart and very risky business. that’s why strict no moving policy like we have in formula 1 car races during breaking is required here. no one should move side ways while sprinting. of course tiny movement will be there but that’s it, not more

[@darraghmcb]

Stupid decision, Van Poppel is sprinting almost straight the entire time and taking the fastest most direct line to the finish. Of course this would tactically shut off the inside where the tail wind would be. Unfair as this is a problem with the race designers putting this type of U turn finish. If Philipsen wasn't relegated in the tour for the same finish (which was rightly so) then Van Poppel shouldn't.

[@milanfillipi5656]

Le Tour commissaries are a joke for sure. Race organizers need to pick one interpretation of sprint deviation and apply it evenly and consistently. Either a straight line/lane is straight on the road, or it is a straight line out of the apex to the finish. Not one way for Philipsen and another way for Van Poppel

[@sam.83]

very good decision from the stewards, van poppel cut him of completely, very naughty

[@luiscelada7644]

@@sam.83 he doesnt have rear view mirrors, he is going for his premeditated line

[@lukasf.1381]

@@sam.83 In this typ of a U-turn-like finish the line of Van Poppel is the fastes.

[@tonychristney2728]

The rule is actually clear: 2.3.036 Riders shall be strictly forbidden to deviate from the lane they selected when launching into the sprint and, in so doing, endangering others. Unfortunately Van Poppel did not hold is relative position on the road (his lane) and moved from the right side of the road over to the left and in doing so risked a collision with Lonardi. Would Lonardi have been able to pass him? Maybe not, but Van Poppel needed to hold his relative position on the road.

[@jonathanchester5916]

No question - he blocked him and good.

[@sebastienpillemy7879]

DnF normal change ligne normal

[@Gee478]

Seems like the wall hugging isn’t intentional… when you’re going all out at 70kph it’s hard to look behind you, they don’t exactly have rear view mirrors. Seems fair win to me

[@blende5.693]

a real sprinter would find enough space at the left side!

[@tychoMX]

Abdoujaparov approves - smiling with the gaps between his teeth. :)

[@Chris-ze4eq]

Van Poppel, fils de Jean- Paul.

[@nuggunu]

100% diviation

[@hemi265mustard]

Relegation for that is a joke

[@robertcheng7735]

Well deserved relegation. Glad race organizers finally have the guts to relegate a would be winner

[@tomboveree]

I think the relegation was fair, but this isn't a road for a mass sprint either, way to dangerous looking at the kind of road and corner in the last 300 meters. Organisation look in the mirror...

[@bernardo9202]

well do not put a turn in a sprint

[@DR_1_1]

I don't know the rules, Lonardi would have won it seems to me, but van Poppel most likely didn't block him purposefully...

[@ShawnHebb]

Straight line from the curves right where he went! That's racing. I wouldn't even deserve second place complaining about that

[@tjtennisicmroll2k]

So you can just crash people if there is a bend in the road, seems fair.

[@alexhoffman4302]

​@tjtennisicmroll2k who crashed?

[@EITiga]

That's not a standard sprint finish. Not good from the TdRomandie organizer.

[@liam2134]

Fair

[@serumq]

he didn't even have speed to overtake, it's a Roadrace which means the road is narrow as always. no foul at all in my point of view. if he used his elbow or head that would be a foul but he didnt. like, imagine CAV's prime. there was huge space . CAV would overtake him before the space was blocked. NEVER A FOUL

[@ClownPatroI]

Fair play. Held his line. Still room on the outside

[@Koobitza1]

Foul

[@HakanGundogdu-ko8rm]

Looks like illegal

[@R6ex]

Correct decision.

[@felix-kn7sx]

Absolutely wrong decision. Van Poppel was in front of the Polti Kometa driver and held his line. It was clear that Van Poppel would hold his line, so the Polti Kometa driver should not have pushed past on the outside of the bend. Absolutely wrong decision by the jury.

[@mzimmma]

Poor design, poor organization... What a waste.

[@wizbiz1589]

Van Poppel dog**** move. Classic

[@TheBassallyear100]

cycling equivalent of taking a dive by Lonardi IMO.

[@linostos]

No faul

[@user-kk7hn3ei4y]

Foul!

[@robbchastain3036]

The rider in the lead should be allowed to pick his own line and defend it as long as it not dirty or dangerous. And any post-race judgments should be based on that. And O well, he won his case and he won the race and sprints can be like that, sometimes the strongest, sometimes the guy with the waving arm in protest over his defeat.

[@franciss2529]

There's a big difference between choosing a line and swerving over the whole road...

[@robbchastain3036]

@@franciss2529 I understand that and if you watch the ending of the NASCAR race at Talladega last weekend, you will see the lead car swerving high and low to block the others, ultimately to get tapped from behind and booted off the track on the last lap. And I simply don't see that here, I see the big horses at full gallop with the line in view and one of them putting on the show the fans want to see, who's the strongest and craftiest of them all. But flopping is a big part of ball sports and cyclists do their bit with the waving arm and pointed finger at the bully who blocked them and it is all fun, I suppose, sprinter drama and another day in the life of the peloton. 😀

[@tychoMX]

sorry, you're wrong. The guy in front is allowed to pick his LANE. Not his line. It's not semantics, that is to ensure riders keep their relative positions on the road and not chop/barge into guys coming on the sides. That is the actual text in the rule. LANE. Which is not always the straight line or the shortest/most direct path. And this is also only after "launching", so you're allowed to change lanes when following wheels.

[@robbchastain3036]

@@tychoMX Thanks for your reply and I'm okay with your view on the outcome, just that to me it looked like hard, clean racing with instincts kicking in and sure, he impeded the line of the complainer, but he didn't drive him into the barrier. He only did just enough to win, but that was evidently too much and no worries, another day tomorrow.

[@franciss2529]

@@robbchastain3036 apples and oranges. It's a bit different when the amount of protection you have is less than 1mm of lycra. Not saying that car racing at hundreds of miles per hour isn't dangerous, but you're more likely to escape unscathed with a big metal box and hefty helmet around you than in cycling where if you come down in a sprint, you'll be going to the hospital. Plus I'd imagine a nudge between cars is more likely to be escapable from than overlapping a wheel, where you're almost definitely going to crash at sprinting speeds.

foul

[@jempanuncialman9361]

Its a foul

[@freekfaro5606]

Van Poppel left enough space. Lonardi simply didn't have the speed.

[@freekfaro5606]

​@@josephsong8911 no legs of the barriers sticking out.

[@freekfaro5606]

@@josephsong8911 they don't stick out. There's a nice advertisement bannier covering everything, at an angle. Nothing to be afraid of. But I'm sure Lonardi sticking his arm up in protest helped a lot.

[@freekfaro5606]

@@josephsong8911 that's a completely useless comparison.

[@Tower1900.]

The generation made of cristal… IT’S BIKE RACING for God’s sake! We’re doomed as a species

[@viraltahun2023]

No1 is not champion winner. Second winners is real champions

[@viraltahun2023]

The winner,Danny go to jail..bad

[@viraltahun2023]

Bad,bad ...bad gobto jail

[@DeezNuts-ik6xl]

That was clear interference

[@user-bv8bc7hg3j]

Not a good decision. The polish guy was on his wheel and the Bora rider did everything right to be first at that point and validly closed the door, I don't see him pushing him and i don't think the Polish wheel was already at the height of the back wheel of the Bora rider. overall, i wouldn't have to taken away the win from Bora.

[@tychoMX]

sorry, but there's absolutely no "validly closing the door". At all. The rules read "should not deviate from the lane". So by definition once the sprint is launched, the rider in the front is expected to keep its relative position to the road. He started almost in the complete opposite side of the road.