Team Sky has suspended Gianni Moscon from racing for six weeks to discipline the Italian for directing racial slurs at FDJ’s Kevin Reza during the Tour de Romandie’s stage 3.
The incident kicked off controversy on social media after Friday’s stage when Reza’s teammate Sebastien Reichenbach tweeted, “Shocked to again hear these imbeciles using racial insults in the pro peloton. You bring shame to our sport.”
Choqué d'entendre encore des imbéciles utiliser des insultes racistes dans le peloton pro. Vous êtes une honte pour notre sport.
— Seb Reichenbach (@reichenbach_seb) April 28, 2017#TDR2017
Upon close examination, Reza is visible in Sky’s post-stage video, admonishing Moscon, after Elia Viviani won the sprint in Payerne, Switzerland.
— Team Sky
Some very happy @TeamSky riders after that win from @eliaviviani. Big leadout, big finish! #TDR2017
(@TeamSky) April 28, 2017
In a statement Team Sky wrote, “[Moscon] apologised to Kevin Reza after the stage and again to him and his team the following morning, and this apology was accepted. Gianni knows that there is no excuse for his behaviour and that any repeat will result in termination of his contract.”
At the 2014 Tour de France, a report emerged that indicated Switzerland’s Michael Albasini directed racial slurs at Reza during stage 16, according to Reza’s then-general manager at Europcar, Jean-René Bernaudeau.
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