There was controversy in stage 9 of the Vuelta a Espana as Sam Bennett thought he had sealed his 50th career victory before he was relegated for a dangerous sprint.
German Pascal Ackermann was awarded the stage despite Tipperary rider Bennett having crossed the line first, followed by Ackermann in second place and Gerben Thijssen third.
After the stage concluded, race organisers demoted Bennett for an irregular sprint, denying the Team Deceuninck-QuickStep man another stage win to follow up his stage 4 triumph earlier in the Vuelta.
Bennett was adjudged to have shoulder-charged Emils Liepins twice in the closing stages when video footage was reviewed by judges.
The 30-year-old Tour de France green jersey winner held a comfortable lead and celebrated as he crossed the line.
But he found out the crushing verdict after judges took 26 minutes to make the call.
Speaking after crossing the line, Bennett said: “It was a long final sprint, slightly uphill, into a headwind, and we had to come from behind at speed.
“It was a big fight, we had some guys nearly put us in the barriers trying to take the wheel."
His team later confirmed the bad news, tweeting: “After a complaint from another team, whose rider tried to barge into Sam’s train, who defended his position, Sam has been relegated by the race Commissaires.”
