Case reopened! UCI will have the final say in the matter of Johan Price-Pejtersen's DQ at the 2024 Danish Time Trial Championships

More than half a year passed and the 2024 Danish Time Trial Championships drama is not over just yet! The Danish Cycling Union (DCU) has already made a final verdict last month, but the International Cycling Union (UCI) has now reopened the case to further investigate the events of last June.

Johan Price-Pejtersen was initially declared national champion on the 41-kilometer course in Herning, but after footage of the Bahrain - Victorious timetrialist briefly riding a bike path resurfaced, the race jury disqualified the 25-year-old rider in accordance to UCI rule which forbids riders the use of unauthorized roads, pavements and such, during races.

Price-Pejtersen appealed the decision of DCU, arguing that he did not take advantage of riding on the cycle path, and that DCU had not sufficiently marked the race route in accordance with the regulations.

The DCU's Order Committee eventually came to the same conclusion and overturned its own decision to disqualify the new Alpecin-Deceuninck recruit, and re-awarded him the national title.

Everything seemed like the story would end here, but the UCI has notified DCU and Price-Pejtersen that the union has decided to bring the matter before the UCI's disciplinary commission, writes the DCU on its website.

According to DCU, the UCI regulations state that the UCI has the right to appeal any disciplinary decision made by a national federation. The chairman of the disciplinary commission, Jean-Pierre Morand, will decide the case as the sole judge.

The parties to the case now have until February 28 to submit written comments and documents to the UCI for further consideration. DCU writes that it has no further comments on the matter. The union is awaiting the UCI's statement regarding the final decision, it says.

Price-Pejtersen was not wearing the Danish Championship jersey on Tuesday at the time trial on the second stage of UAE Tour. His employer, the Alpecin team, informs Ritzau that the jersey was otherwise ready to be used, but the UCI has not yet given the green light.