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news
Marcel Kittel bloodied at Dubai Tour.jpgVideos: Marcel Kittel bloodied after Astana rider elbows him at Dubai Tour as sandstorms cause havoc
Race leader Marcel Kittel was left with blood streaming down his face at the Dubai Tour today, claiming afterwards that he had been struck by Astana's Andriy Grivko - who has since been thrown off the race. Meanwhile, riders had to contend with crosswinds and a sandstorm during today's 200km Stage 3, won by Trek-Segafredo's John Degenkolb.
News that Kittel had been attacked by an Astana rider was initially made on Twitter by his Quick Step Floors manager, Patrick Lefevere.
@marcelkittel has been beaten by an @AstanaTeam rider. I hope that the president of the jury takes his responsibility #dubaitour2017
— Patrick Lefevere (@PatLefevere) February 2, 2017
It was subsequently confirmed by Kittel, who said after the race: “I got punched by Andriy Grivko from Astana. That's why I had blood on my face but I didn't crash. There was some confusion in the race. My team worked well for the sprint but I was not in a perfect position and maybe my head was elsewhere too.”
In the video below, Kittel seems to be explaining what had happened to Dimension Data rider Jay Robert Thomson, gesticulating with his elbow and shaking his head.
L'arcade en sang de Marcel Kittel. L'Allemand a-t-il reçu un coup ? #lequipeVELO
Plus d'infos : https://t.co/lVBR7OrCnK pic.twitter.com/VzXUyuSfau
— la chaine L'ÉQUIPE (@lachainelequipe) February 2, 2017
A number of teams posted footage of the sand blowing across the road, making conditions very unpleasant - not to mention dangerous - for the peloton.
Crosswinds had caused the peloton to split into three echelons but, as the sandstorm intensified, the bunch reformed.
Here's some of the videos of the day.
Conditions continue to get worse on Stage 3. Riders have just passed through the feedzone. #DubaiTour @MouldyPIX pic.twitter.com/EgYPbYZriZ
— ONE Pro Cycling (@ONEProCycling) February 2, 2017
Video footage of the difficult weather conditions facing the peloton on Stage 3 of the #DubaiTour. pic.twitter.com/wuxfMtwpfC
— ONE Pro Cycling (@ONEProCycling) February 2, 2017
#DubaiTour, difficile situazione di gara con forte vento e sabbia ovunque - le immagini dall'ammiraglia di @Robbybici pic.twitter.com/mhhId5W5fJ
— Bardiani - CSF (@Bardiani_CSF) February 2, 2017
#DubaiTour Here's a taste of the strong winds that have caused the echelons. pic.twitter.com/TOtTqv5ppB
— BMC Racing Team (@BMCProTeam) February 2, 2017
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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26 comments
Friends, why nobody listens to Grivko explanations?
Friends, when you listens also to the second participant of the conflict (Grivko)?
Wee bit of one-sided reporting Road.cc?
Grivko has now given his side where he claims that Kittel almost caused crashes as they tried to form echelons and spat at him when challenged- Neal Rogers seems to be the only actual journalist following up on that. Yes Grivko rides for Astana, and no, nothing justifies swinging an elbow but the fact stands he is out and Kittel gets off scot free with no questions asked about his role. (And I say this as a Quickstep fan)
https://cyclingtips.com/2017/02/two-sides-to-every-story-grivko-shares-a...
not sure Herr Kittel is really doing himself any favours now on Twitte now ...
Given that Grivko was DQ'd and Kittel has not been reprimanded I think the reporting is fine.
If you think there is bias then it can only be from the race authorites.
There will have been plenty of witnesses in the peleton. I am sure that was the evidence used to come up to the conclusion that Grivko was guilty. The TV didn't appear to have shots of it happening.
If a proper journo like Neal Rogers is publically raising his concerns about others not giving Grivko the chance to at least share his side, then maybe it is a bit problematic.
Can you imagine riding in that kind of sand storm without eyewear ?
I can't image taking that kind of force and not coming off the bike.
Kittel might want to look into MMA if this cycling gig does not pan out.
It's because he looks like Ivan Drago
Astana rider has been disqualified from the race. If the allegations prove true, he should banned for a very long time as an example. Why is it always Astana in trouble, either doping, giving lifts to riders and now fighting?
I've got a scar in a similar place from glasses slicing into my cheek. Drunken faceplant rather than crazy Ukrainian in my case. Plenty of claret, that area is soft and well supplied with blood, I looked like Terry Butcher vs Sweden, blood everywhere and took a long time to stop
Eyebrows pop pretty easily too. And bleed like fury, so they generally look worse than they are.
Whilst an intentional elbow in the face isn't good in any sport (apart from wrestling or MMA), can you imagine how this would've gone down if it was a game of football?!
how do you draw blood with an elbow?
His elbows has disc brakes fitted.
you how you can get a pinch flat puncture from a relatively blunt edge such as a kerb?
Yeah well imagine the elbow is the kerb, Kittels skull is the rim and his skin and flech is the tube ... hey presto, pinch flat but with blood pouring out rather than air.
Your elbow is one of the hardest parts of your body. I once accidentally put a hole in an opponents cheek, it was gross, you could see his teeth through it. I caught him with my elbow while playing football.
ouch.
by the way I wasn't trying to dispute kittel's story or anything like that, just thought it strange he could be hit that hard and not knocked off his bike (where presumably cameras would take notice?) unless he was caught by something sharp or the like. doesn't really matter I suppose.
Google 'Muay Thai elbows'. Ouch.
Ok, with you. Must have been the glasses as someone else mentioned.
No, it's pretty easy to open the eyebrow area with an elbow, for maximum effect don't clench your fist and keep your hand flat as it exposes your forearm bone more. It's very common in MMA.
Kittel said he was wearing glasses - which broke when he was hit - so it could of been them that caused the bleeding.
in some of the footage from the stage you can see the left arm of his glasses still on his face, so must have been broken during the incident, and likely that's what cut him.
I once had an accident in which I went over the bonnet of a car and placed my elbow 12 inches deep into a laminated windscreen, I suffered only a minor cut requiring 2 stitches.
I shudder to think what the same elbow force could have done to someones face.
Elbows can do a lot of damage. It's quite common to see bleeding foreheads in professional Muay Thai bouts, for example.
I recommend you go watch Muay Thai
Elbow are deadly attack that can cause bleed easily
How about you stand there and let me elbow you in the face really hard so you can experience first hand how an elbow can draw blood. What a silly question.