Team Sky’s Gianni Moscon apologises for punching Elie Gesbert after Tour de France disqualification

‘I am sorry for today’s incident and I totally regret my actions,’ Moscon said in a video posted on social media by Team Sky

Gianni Moscon has apologised for punching fellow rider Elie Gesbert during stage 15 of the Tour de France, after the Team Sky rider was disqualified from the race.

The Italian, who has a history of ill-discipline including an incident of racially abusing his rival cyclist Kévin Réza during last year’s Tour de Romandie, was caught on video appearing to swing his arm the face of the French rider and accepted the race commissaries’ decision to evict him from the Tour.

“I am sorry for today’s incident and I totally regret my actions,” Moscon said in a video posted on social media by Team Sky. “I would like to personally apologise to Elie Gesbert for the incident on today’s stage.

“What happened was wrong and was a bad example coming from me to everyone and I want to publicly apologise for what happened, to my team-mates, to everyone involved in Team Sky, and everyone involved in the Tour de France.

”I make no excuse for it, I accept the decision of the race organisers, and I let myself down really badly, also my team-mates and I’m very sorry for that.”

Moscon’s future with the British team is now in jeopardy. He received a six-month ban for the incident of racial abuse and was warned that a repeat of such an offence would bring an end to his turbulent spell under Sir Dave Brailsford.

On Sunday night, team principal Brailsford said Moscon’s position would be reviewed after the Tour. “We will address this incident with Gianni once the Tour is complete and decide then if any further action should be taken. I would like to offer my sincere apologies to both Elie Gesbert and Team Fortuneo Samsic for this unacceptable incident.”