50-day ban for sports director in near-miss on Le Tour
A TEAM sports director who almost ran over a Tour de Yorkshire marshal has been handed a 50-day suspension and a fine of 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,700).
Lars Michaelsen was driving the Astana Pre Team car on the fourth and final stage of this year’s Tour de Yorkshire when he almost struck volunteer marshal Phillip Sullivan at the top of Canal Road in Armley.
Footage showed the father-oftwo from Leeds leap out of the way at the last second before Mr Michaelsen, who was travelling behind the cyclists in the Astana team car, smashed through road furniture where the marshal had been standing.
And now the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has handed out the 50-day suspension and fine, saying in a statement that Mr Michaelsen accepted full responsibility for the incident and actively collaborated with the investigation. Mr Sullivan told The Yorkshire
Post at the time of the incident: “It was that close I could feel the air of the wheels pass my feet.”
Astana have accepted the UCI’s ruling and said that Mr Michaelsen had spoken with Mr Sullivan since the incident to apologise and offer Mr Sullivan the chance to join the team for a stage of the Tour de France.
The UCI said in a statement: “The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that its Disciplinary Commission has rendered its decision in relation to the accident involving the Astana Pro Team car at the fourth and final stage of the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire.
“The UCI referred the case against the driver of the car, sports director Lars Michaelsen, who accepted his responsibility for the incident and actively collaborated with the investigation.
“Mr Michaelsen will serve a period of suspension of 50 days and pay a fine of CHF 5,000. He will also collaborate with the UCI in delivering driver safety initiatives and share his experience as a driver in the race convoy.
“The UCI emphasises the importance of continuously working on measures aimed at improving road safety as well as acting on any such incidents from a disciplinary point of view in a fair and efficient manner.”