Gianni Moscon thrown out of Vuelta a Burgos for 'inappropriate behaviour' as Italian's controversial disciplinary history grows

Gianni Moscon has been thrown out of the 2026 Vuelta a Burgos after being sanctioned for his conduct towards other riders during Thursday's third stage. The Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe rider reached the finish at Balneario de Corconte before his disqualification from the race was confirmed.

Moscon had crossed the line 13:03 behind stage winner Felix Gall, who attacked clear on the Puerto del Escudo before taking both the victory and overall race lead. For the Italian, however, Stage 3 proved to be his final appearance at this year's Vuelta a Burgos.

Moscon was also handed a UCI yellow card for breaching article 2.12.007 – 8.2.1 of the regulations, relating to "inappropriate behaviour during the race towards other riders". No details were given over the precise nature of the incident or which other rider or riders were involved.

Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe had not issued an explanation for the sanction following the stage, leaving the commissaires' ruling as the only indication of what prompted Moscon's removal. His name will therefore be absent when the race resumes on Friday with Stage 4 from Palazuelos de Muno to Briviesca.

Thursday had already been a difficult afternoon on the road for Moscon before the subsequent disciplinary decision. The 32-year-old was among those distanced as the general classification battle exploded on the Puerto del Escudo, where Gall eventually rode away from Oscar Onley before descending towards a solo victory. Giulio Ciccone and Giulio Pellizzari followed at 11 seconds, with Onley crossing the line on the same time as the Italians.

Moscon eventually arrived more than 13 minutes later. Although he had completed all three opening stages of the five-day race, the commissaires' decision meant he was removed rather than simply carrying that deficit into Friday.

It is another notable sanction for a rider whose career has previously included several high-profile disciplinary incidents, although the exact circumstances surrounding the latest one remain undisclosed.

Moscon has previously been removed from major races for incidents involving fellow riders. The most direct comparison came during the 2018 Tour de France. Moscon was disqualified following an incident with Elie Gesbert on Stage 15, with television pictures showing the Italian swinging an arm in the Frenchman's direction. The UCI subsequently imposed a five-week suspension after confirming that Moscon had accepted responsibility for the incident.

Another disqualification followed at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2020. After becoming involved in a crash, Moscon picked up another rider's bicycle and threw it aside, with the bike striking Jens Debusschere. He was removed from the race for aggressive and unsporting behaviour.

His disciplinary history also includes a six-week suspension imposed by Team Sky in 2017 after he racially abused Kevin Reza at the Tour de Romandie. Moscon apologised following that incident and was sent on a diversity awareness course by the team.

Those previous cases explain some of the attention surrounding Moscon's latest expulsion, but they do not establish what took place in Burgos. The confirmed facts from Thursday remain limited to the UCI yellow card, the offence concerning his behaviour towards other riders and his removal from the race after completing Stage 3.

Moscon's Vuelta a Burgos is consequently over after three days of racing, while Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe continue into Friday's fourth stage with one fewer rider.