Gianni Moscon could face six-month ban as UCI investigates Reichenbach crash

Team Sky rider Gianni Moscon could face a ban of up to six months after he was reportedly referred to the UCI Disciplinary Commission over allegations that he caused Sebastien Reichenbach to crash at a race last year.

Reichenbach alleged that Moscon deliberately caused him to fall from his bike during the Tre Valli Varesine race in October, with the FDJ rider breaking his pelvis and elbow in the incident.

Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad reports that Reichenbach and a number of other riders have already provided their testimony to the UCI Disciplinary Commission, the body in charge of imposing sanctions for breaches of the UCI regulations, with Moscon expected to provide his evidence "in the foreseeable future".

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Under article 12.1.005 of the UCI regulations, riders who "behave in a violent manner" or "behave in such a way as to blemish the image, the reputation or the interests of cycling or the UCI" can be banned for a period of one to six months, with the penalty decided by the Disciplinary Commission.

In April 2017, the Disciplinary Commission banned Astana rider Andriy Grivko for a period of 45 days after he was found to have struck Marcel Kittel on stage three of the Dubai Tour, leaving the German sprinter with blood running down his face.

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Sebastien Reichenbach crashed on a descent with around 75km remaining in Tre Valli Varesine on October 3. The crash was not picked up by television cameras, but the Swiss rider claimed that he was pushed off his bike by Moscon, who he said was "settling a score" after Reichenbach had sent a tweet talking about “idiots using racist slurs”, apparently in response to a video posted online showing Moscon in heated conversation with black FDJ rider Kevin Reza at the Tour de Romandie in May.

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Moscon, who was suspended for six weeks by his team after the Reza incident, has denied Reichenbach’s claims and has vowed to clear his name in the case, previously saying that the FDJ rider’s hands had slipped from his handlebars on a rough road.