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The “glued container technique” was clearly used by Lenny Martinez during the 18th stage of the Tour.
Tour de France – Vilain gesture. The French runner Lenny Martinez will probably not end up the Tour de France 2025 with the polka dot jersey on his back after having cracked during the 18th stage disputed this Thursday, July 24 between Vif and Courchevel Col de la Loze. Worse still, the cyclist did not have many friends during this particularly demanding mountain stage.
In question? Its blatant use of the so -called “technique glued “, Filmed by the cameras and causing unfavorable reactions for the one who will have worn the best climber jersey during this 112nd edition of the Grande Boucle. Among the most critical, the famous tricolor climber Thibaut Pinot, retired since 2023, who shared an emoji ” vomit On social networks to condemn this practice.
During this stage finally won solo by Ben O’Connor at the top of the Col de la Loze, the wearer of the polka dot has however distinguished himself by joining early day a first group of runners at the top of the race. But Lenny Martinez seemed hard during this stage.
Before reaching the summit of the Col du Glandon-First Col Outside the day-the French of the Bahrain-Victorious training close to the breakup and not far from being distant, has therefore come closer to the car of its sports director to make a refueling … to say the least. Because when his team held him a first bar protein by the window, Lenny Martinez remained hung on (too) long seconds. A method well known to save a few strokes of pedals in full ascent by taking advantage of the power offered by the car.
8 points withdrawn in the classification
But instead of sliding his bar in his back pocket on his back, he returned it to the car. Before recovering a gourd and in a little discreet manner a second traction. The runner even did it a third time after trying to wedge his gourd on his bicycle to finally return it to its sports director to use the same method once again. The height of irony, Lenny Martinez finally left without recovering the slightest supplies. By revealing a gesture of annoyance at the end of the sequence.
As Eurosport commentators suggests in the video shared above, the runner will undoubtedly not escape a sanction for this clearly abusive use of the technique of ” glued ». On which the racing commissioners are particularly uncompromising. To the key? A fine of 500 Swiss francs, a sanction of points, a yellow card, even in rare cases, an expulsion from the Tour de France.
The sanction against the French runner finally fell after the race: 8 points withdrawn in the ranking of the best climber. A logical sanction because this support on the car took place in the last slopes before the top of the Glandon pass, where Lenny Martinez finally went out, then offering 20 precious points to try to keep his polka dot jersey. But he finally had to return it at the end of the stage since he was overwhelmed by Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar. Knowing that the latter ” lent Since he was already wearing the yellow jersey.
