Another sprint and another controversy at the Vuelta a Andalucia 2018. On stage one it was Sacha Modolo who cried out for evidence of the photo finish, and today, on stage three, it is the Venetian sprinter himslf who ends up in the crosshairs of criticism.
Grievances were filed this time from Carlos Barbero, second in today’s stage, who after having crossed the finish line complained about the behavior of the Italian sprinter: “I could have won…but the judges don’t think so…and I cannot do anything about it. It was clear that Modolo blocked me in”.
“At 200 meters from the end where the sprint began, everyone was going to the right, I went left to the left. He [Modolo] saw me coming with more speed and he blocked me. I was forced to brake” he said.
Immediately after the end of the stage end, Movistar called for appeal against the sprint result. The appeal was rejected by the judges who stated that Modolo performed correctly during the sprint.