Cyclist accused of mechanical doping, escapes and tries to run over race director | Relief

Amateur race, French roads against the backdrop of Menle-Montigny… what should have been cycling festival almost ends in tragedy at the Routes de l’Oise, an amateur race that takes place in Hautes-de-France and in which The runner almost hit the race director.

This happened before the fourth stage of the dispute. Before the start, the race management expressed suspicions that the runner Giovambattista Lera, who was then in third place in the overall competition, ran with mechanical doping. on their bike, so they prepared to check the bike Lera was riding.

However, The runner did not want to do this and disappeared. before passing control. He got into the van and drove off. to avoid the “exams” he had to take on his bike. lThe surprise arose when Frédéric Lenormand, the race director, stood in front of the car. corridor to stop his march, local media reported Courier Picard.

Iera, without hesitation, started the van and dragged the race director for about 300 meters before stopping the car. “I didn’t want him to leave. That’s why I found myself in front of him. The car came towards me and injured my knee and ankle.”. Because I didn’t let him pass, I ended up on the hood of the van after the driver accelerated. “I had the scare of my life,” Lenormand confirmed in statements published by a local newspaper.

The van finally stopped, allowing the race director to climb off the hood. “Then the driver made another maneuver and disappeared. It could end up under your car. “I will file a complaint against him.”concluded the race director, before confirming that his first suspicions arose last Saturday when some riders taking part in the test saw “suspicious cables” on Iera’s bike, which refused to pass control on Sunday.

After the incidents that occurred before the dispute on the last day The AC Bellaingeoise team, in which the escaped runner played, was also sanctioned. by career direction. “We are victims too. We didn’t know about this and are stunned. We apologize on behalf of the club.”, said Daphne Bos, the club’s director. Moreover, some of those who had previously been his comrades showed shame and disapproval at what their comrade had done.

A sponsor of the Astana team and an actor in films such as Ghislain Lambert’s Bicycle with Benoit Poelvoorde, Giovambattista Iera, a suspected handler, is relatively well known in the cycling community thanks to his relationships with Mark Cavendish and Alexander Vinokurov.