Bora-hansgrohe lodge appeal with CAS to have Peter Sagan reinstated in the Tour de France

The Bora-hansgrohe team of Peter Sagan have announced that they have ldoged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to suspend the decision made by the commissaires panel of the Tour de France to disqualify the World Champion from the race.

Sagan was disqualified as according to president commissaire Philippe Mariën, he had “endangered seriously several other riders including Mark Cavendish in the final meters of the sprint which happened in Vittel.”

In the statement released by the Bora-hansgrohe team today, they stated that: “The Team and Peter Sagan, represented by their counsels Prof. Dr. Rainer Cherkeh (Hannover) and Dr. Maurice Courvoisier (Walder Wyss AG, Basel), have lodged an appeal with the CAS yesterday including an urgent motion to suspend the decision of the “Commissaires Panel” taken on late July 4, 2017 and confirmed by the President of the UCI.”

The team also outlined that neither they nor Sagan felt that he was at fault for the crash which resulted in Cavendish suffering a broken shoulder blade and being forced out of the race.

“The Team and Peter Sagan would like to reiterate their position that Peter Sagan did not cause, let alone deliberately, the fall of Mark Cavendish on the last 200m of the fourth stage on July 4, 2017. Peter Sagan stayed on his line and could not see Mark Cavendish on the right side,” the team said in their statement.

“Although the UCI CYCLING REGULATIONS provide unambiguously that it is mandatory to hear a rider before any disciplinary decision is taken (Rule 12.2.006: „The Commissaires Panel may judge the matter only if the offending party has had a chance to defend his point of view […]“), Peter Sagan has not been given an opportunity to explain to the „Commissaires Panel“ his point of view.”

In an unprecedented move, the team also stated that they are looking for Sagan to be allowed back in the Tour as they said: “If the motion to suspend, on which the CAS will have to decide now, is granted, Peter Sagan will immediately re-engage in the Tour and, together with the team BORA – hansgrohe, compete for a successful Tour de France 2017.”