Updated: Movistar stripped of stage win, Rojas loses leader's jersey in Catalonia after illegally pushing team mates in time trial

They are also pegging it downhill, how much force do they think he was using?

Looks like the UCI reconsidered the penalty overnight and have now docked every Movistar rider 1 minute each, from their original TTT time.

Did the UCI comment on why it imposed this 1,2 and 3 minute penalty on the individuals giving/receiving the push(es), rather than the 1 minute on every TTT rider in the team, that the rules state?

Velonews had interesting article on the potential benefits of small push tactics in TTT, where only pusher/pushee are punished.

Is this all? Little nudges like this a quite common in TTT's - from all teams.

I suspect that you would not have to go back through many events to find the BMC and trek teams doing similar.

It isn't allowed because that small push helps one of the most difficult parts of a TTT - the part where you drop back after taking your turn, then have to work hard to get up to the speed of the final rider. As it is a TTT, if you can minimise these short, but very intense efforts, then the whole team will be faster as a result.  Whether it should be allowed is a moot point. The rules say it isn't.

As for comments on Bidons, it is unlikely any team will complain about something that they all do. It is about an unfair advantage. Bidons from cars rarely are used for an unfair advantage. When they are, these are also punished (Bardet recently with the team mechanic). But if it is a convention of a rule which is both respected and the contravention is so obvious, the UCI have to act. 

Personally speaking, I don't understand why this isn't allowed... why isn't pushing your team mates OK? Team mates do everything else for their leaders, it seems strange that this should be banned.

I like the idea of a rear gunner in a TT. its hard getting on the back of the line in a TTT, and when you get there you also have to deal with the drag at the end of the line. You don't get the full drafting benefit until the next guy comes around.

Having a rider dedicated to helping people back into the line and taking the drag would be great. 

Whats the problem with utilising one of your riders for this purpose. 

I hope that Movistar and other teams put in a complaint about BMC and Trek every time one of their riders is seen taking a bidon from a team car.

But isn't it the little things about a well drilled team that make the difference in a team time trial?

Maybe the other teams didn't need to give one another a wee shove at the back because they were better drilled and new how/when/where to slot in behind. If Rojas hadn't done that then the Movistar line might have broken or the riders might have tired themselves more to get back on, to the detriment of the team's time.

Still seems harsh, but if the other teams posted good times without breaking the rules then I guess they have the right to complain...

I do think that was a bit harsh, I was expecting full on pushing along, that seemed to just be letting them know he was the last man and to slot in front of him, fair enough if commissaires are going to start getting extra strict with the rules, but this seems like less of an advantage than the average sticky bottle in a normal stage.

Is that it?  I thought he was pushing them for hundred of yards because they were falling behind.  He was just riding rear shot gun and letting them know where he was.   Why isnt that allowed in a team time trial, the clue is in team?  Get the least number of riders over the line in the fastest time.