Originally Posted by
patrickgm60
My quick reading of the UCI regs indicates the penalties are mandatory, whereas the linked articles says the UCI "may" impose fines and penalties. Sloppy/lazy journalism?
Lesson: Don't accept help from a rival, no matter how innocent the help appears to be. : )
Nah,
I'd say the journalism is correct. The thing is most rules are worded to give some leeway. Any rider who has a mechanical problem in the middle of the race will work back through the cars. You are not allowed to draft the cars, but some is permitted. Any rider who has made it ti the TDF level knows the judgement part of the rules and also knows the commissioners are more lenient about someone off the back because of a mechanical than they are for someone off the back because they get dropped on a climb.
Since this is Hockey Playoff time I am reminded of a situation in Hockey that I think is likely the same. For almost all penalties the refs can use some judgement. If every instance that could be called a hook or slash was called the norm would be skating 3 on 3. But one call allows no judgement. If a puck is sent directly over the glass in the defensive zone it is a penalty, period. Only issue is did it barely hit the glass or another stick. Giving a wheel is going ot be in that class, no choice.