Another Sky own goal

TEAM SKY scored another massive PR own goal yesterday after deciding to keep Gianni Moscon in their Tour de Romandie team when he was guilty of using racially abusive language towards the black FDJ rider, Kevin Reza.

It was only last month that a parliamentary committee said the ‘credibility’ of the British cycling team was ‘in tatters’ over their handling of the Sir Bradley Wiggins Jiffy bag controversy — and the revelation that their doctor did not keep comprehensive medical records — and their limp response to such a serious incident did nothing to repair the damage.

Reza and Moscon were photographed having a heated discussion at the end of stage three of the race on Friday in Switzerland but Team Sky confirmed that their Italian rider had racially abused the Frenchman and subsequently apologised.

Reza’s team said their rider had accepted the apology and Team Sky said Moscon would be dealt with ‘internally’. Reza declined to comment.

But Moscon’s appearance yesterday in a stage won by the Briton, Simon Yates — he now leads the overall classification going into the final day of the Tour — came as a surprise to commentators.