MADRID, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Primoz Roglic of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe will find his task of taking the overall lead in the Vuelta a Espana a bit more difficult when it resumes on Tuesday after Monday's rest day.
The Slovenian rider was sanctioned with a 20-second time penalty and a fine of 200 Swiss Francs after race judges considered he and two teammates, Daniel Martinez and Roger Adria, were guilty of 'drafting' behind a team car on Sunday's stage.
Roglic pulled to the side of the road in the stage to change bikes prior to the start of the brutal 18 kilometer long Cuitu Negru climb, switching from his usual race bike to a lighter machine with only one chain ring.
He and his two teammates then rode close behind the team car, using its slipstream to help them regain contact with the group of favorites at the foot of the climb.
Although judges don't take any action if riders use the tactic to recover their position in the race after a puncture or mechanical issue, Roglic made his bike change for purely tactical reasons, which is why he (along with Martin and Adria) has been given the penalty.
Rogilc had reduced his deficit to overall race leader Ben O'Connor of Decathlon AG2R-La Mondiale to just 43 seconds after Sunday's stage, which was won by Pablo Castrillo of Kern Pharma, but that has now been extended to a minute and three seconds, with Enric Mas of Movistar a further minute and 20 seconds behind. ■
