Julian Alaphilippe is no longer the leader of the Tour de France, after the French superstar was handed a time penalty for taking an illegal feed on stage five - we want to hear your thoughts on the incident.
The Deceuninck - Quick-Step rider was given a 20-second penalty after he took an unauthorised bottle from the side of the road inside the final 20km of the stage, a move which is banned by the UCI.
Alaphilippe has handed the race lead over to Britain's Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), who said this isn't how he would have wanted to take the yellow jersey, while Alaphilippe now slips to 16th place.
According to the Tour organisers, the commissaires made the decision to punish Alaphilippe after he made an “unauthorised supply pick-up.”
Video footage has since emerged of Alaphilippe taking a bottle from team staff with around 17km of the stage left to race.
UCI rules state that all feeding outside the feed zones, either from a car or on foot, is strictly forbidden inside the first 30km of a stage and inside the last 20km.
Regulation 2.3.027 says: “All feeding (from a car and on foot outside of the feeding zones signposted by the organiser) is strictly forbidden: during the 30 first and last 20 kilometres; in the last 500 meters before a sprint counting for a secondary classification (points classification, king of mountain classification or others), bonus sprint, feeding zone; in the first 50 meters after a sprint counting for a secondary classification (points classification, king of mountain classification or others), bonus sprint, feeding zone; on descents of mountains listed on the mountain classification; in any other area specified by the organiser or the commissaires panel.
“The commissaires panel may adapt the distances mentioned above, depending on atmospheric conditions and the category, type and length of the race. Such a decision must be communicated to the followers through radio-tour.”
But did Alaphilippe deserve the punishment? Should he have been given a financial penalty instead? What are your thoughts on Adam Yates taking the race lead thanks to a penalty?
We want to hear your thoughts on the Tour de France incident - click here to fill out our Google Forms questionnaire and answer a few brief questions.
A selection of answers will be collected into an upcoming story on the Cycling Weekly website.
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