Biniam Girmay accepts jury's decision to not relegate Jasper Philipsen: "Those things can happen"

If it had been up to team bosses Jean François Bourlart and Alexandre Vinokourov, winner Jasper Philipsen would have been relegated after the stage 7. The Belgian made a relatively dangerous maneuver which forced Biniam Girmay, who finished third eventually, to slow down a bit to evade barriers.

Girmay crossed the line with a hand gesture towards the Belgian, after Philipsen would have cut him off. Good half an hour after the meet, however, the African did not want to waste so many words on it. "This is part of sprinting, that's how it always goes. You are close to the wheel of your predecessor and then those things can happen."

Cavendish did not waste any words on it immediately after arrival. He mainly talked about a shifting problem, which meant that he had to sit down twice in a full sprint.

The team bosses seemed to think otherwise, as Bourlart went to the jury car accompanied by Vinokourov. The two received no response and left the UCI video truck disappointed, journalists at the place reported.