Romain Bardet has apologised after he was disqualified on the opening stage of Paris-Nice.
The Frenchman endured a frustrating day, first being caught out as the race was split in crosswinds, before crashing. After the race he was disqualified for taking too much assistance from a team car as he attempted to regain contact, with his misdemeanours caught on camera from a television helicopter.
Following his disqualification, Bardet was quick to take to Twitter to apologise for his actions, writing that he had accepted his punishment and would not make the same mistake in future.
>>> Five talking points from stage one of Paris-Nice 2017
"We made a mistake due to the fact we weren't thinking straight at a key moment in the stage," wrote the Ag2r La Mondiale rider.
"I am deeply sorry for my actions because nothing justifies taking advantage of the excessive assistance I received from the team car for mechanical repairs. This practice, too often tacitly accepted within the peloton, must now be guarded against in order to ensure the integrity of our sport. I sincerely apologise to the organisers and the fans.
"Now I must concentrate on preparing myself for the races that I will face in the next few weeks when I will be dedicated to taking part in my sport in the way that I love."
Watch: Paris-Nice stage one highlights
Bardet's next scheduled race is the Tour of the Basque Country, before travelling to Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour de Romandie as he builds towards the Tour de France. It is unclear if this schedule will change as a result of his disqualification.
Paris-Nice continues on Monday with a 195km stage from Rochefort-en-Yvelines to Amilly, and concludes in Nice on Sunday.
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