(Update) Absa Cape Epic: Evans and Knox penalised for unfair advantage

[Mr Mulebar]

Correct, as well as RECM and a couple others that have not been identified.

[Shebeen]

SO the wheel does turn...

and what a soap opera wheel it is. Max also got protested then, when he was riding with brandon stewart, who is owner of fedgroup team.

 

days of our lives, indeed

[Bos]

Even if they tried it will show guts, if they came out bikes blazing and tried to beat the cycle pants off the Scott guys the rest of the stages it would have been far better in my view

 

Here I agree 100%

I think for what ever reason they were clearly just not up to scratch. If they had it in them they would have tried to dish it out but they knew they were going nowhere slowly, so just sat up and rode the last 2 days like recovery days.

 

I feel for them. They need to regroup and think of a way to get out of this mess.

[giant6]

Agreed. Unfortunately they werent performing as hoped in the initial few days so a lot of emotions at play. Still i would have preferred a protest free comp, so unhappy with all parties, and the UCI officials could have played a better role in resolving the whole issue.

 

If its true that fedgroup also got 1 hr for littering then I can see why they bitched. Anybody know a team thats been fined for littering recently??

 

And the protest wheel does turn, so Scott's turn probably up next in 2015!

 

 

[Mr Mulebar]

Agreed. Unfortunately they werent performing as hoped in the initial few days so a lot of emotions at play. Still i would have preferred a protest free comp, so unhappy with all parties, and the UCI officials could have played a better role in resolving the whole issue.

 

If its true that fedgroup also got 1 hr for littering then I can see why they bitched. Anybody know a team thats been fined for littering recently??

 

And the protest wheel does turn, so Scott's turn probably up next in 2015!

 

How could the UCI have handled it better?

 

They investigated the protests that were lodged, examined the evidence and issued the penalty in line with the ACE rules. They also went as far as banning the release of the video footage to the media initially in an effort to minimize trial by social media. Only when their integrity was being called into question by Fedgroup & KE did they present the evidence to the public.

 

It's also worth mentioning that if they were using the UCI rules as the default rules KE & MK would have been immediately disqualified from the event.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Mr Mulebar

[GoLefty!!]

I don't think the commissaires had any choice. Their role is impartiality to the letter of the rules. They were given a protest and evidence to support the protest. They acted. They even suggest FedGroup approach Scott FR and ask them to drop the protest so that racing can continue.

I don't know if a dialogue happened but it appears that it did not.

 

So it boils down to a matter between the riders and that deprived us, the fans, of a great race. Where there is money there will always be drama.

 

I can't fault the Epic organisers or the UCI commissaires, they did what they had to do under the rules of the event.

 

Like I said, personally i would have gone up to Evans and asked him to take a self impossed penalty turn (aka Yachting) on the next bit of single track and let bygones be bygones. If he chose not to then protest the move. The fact that a pending protest is hanging over your head is unsettling enough.

 

What is certain is that the rights and wrongs will not be solved on theHubSA.co.za

[Spoke101]

A couple things here:

 

1. If Scott had gone up to Kevin and Fedgroup after the stage and said "come on guy's that not on, do it again and we will report it" I wonder what the response would be? I can see them being told to grow up, that's racing and some colorful words thrown in for good measure. instead of sorry we wont do it again. Considering Kevin in the interview says, it happens all the time and well guy's don't say anything it because that's how racing goes. This indicated to me that he thinks it is ok and he did nothing wrong.

 

2. Kevin mentions there was a Scott rider was behind him so it's not like the African Jersey was in jeopardy, and thus he gained an advantage over the Scott rider who was behind him and the Outcast riders?

 

3. From what I can see in the GoPro footage 9 riders got passed: 1x Centurion Vaude, 2x RECM, 3x Fedgroup and they were all in the four posiions in front on Kevin, 1x Songo, 1x BMC, 1x Cannondale.

 

4. Has for the swearing I could only here the one F#%& that in my opinion was because he had to get off his bike and push rather than aiming it at any one?

 

5. Max Knox as far as I know hasn't said a word, just kept his views and opinions to himself and I commend him for this.

 

6. As to the giving up attitude, I think they were saving there legs for the last day and from the little TV coverage I saw of the last stage it looked like Fedgroup were trying for the win. Stand to be corrected but one of there riders was on the front early on think it was Kevin but he kept looking back for his team mate Max I suppose. Guess they just didn't ave the legs as they finished 12th vs 35th the day before.

[Greybeard]

Agreed. Unfortunately they werent performing as hoped in the initial few days so a lot of emotions at play. Still i would have preferred a protest free comp, so unhappy with all parties, and the UCI officials could have played a better role in resolving the whole issue.

 

If its true that fedgroup also got 1 hr for littering then I can see why they bitched. Anybody know a team thats been fined for littering recently??On one of the TV coverage programs the camera was on one of the winning ladies who had stopped and ripped open an energy bar with her teeth and spat out the piece of wrapper! Double standards?

 

And the protest wheel does turn, so Scott's turn probably up next in 2015!

[Greybeard]

Its amazing to think that there are 27 pages of mostly negative comments regarding something that was finalised the day following the incident and the emotional outbursts of some of the Fedgroup team seem to be surpassed by Hub members in their ranting. They made mistakes but the punishment has been handed out. Let's let it go guys.

[milky4130]

 

5. Max Knox as far as I know hasn't said a word, just kept his views and opinions to himself and I commend him for this.

that's because Max is Hubber & knows better than to drop to this "level" being displayed in this thread.

[Peerless]

Spare a thought for the road builders.

 

It only takes a few riders to take a short cut and a trail is established - straight up/down hill. We have to honour the trail builders and this is exactly what the ACE does with this massive penalty. Well done. Cutting out switchbacks is the root of erosion.

 

Next sin to stamp out is littering.