VIDEO: Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider Axel Zingle receives yellow card for Paris-Nice off-roading

In a chaotic and crash-filled stage of Paris-Nice, Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s Axel Zingle received a yellow card for using the sidewalk, a harsh decision given the circumstances.

Zingle found himself with nowhere to go as the road narrowed, with riders squeezed tightly together in a moment where it was almost a miracle that a crash didn’t occur. Despite this, race officials still ruled against him, issuing a penalty that comes with multiple consequences. Harsh or fair?

The Frenchman will have to pay a fine of 200 Swiss francs and lose 25 UCI ranking points. Additionally, he will receive a deduction of 12 points in the points classification and 8 in the mountains classification of Paris-Nice, though these losses are unlikely to concern him as much as the financial penalty and ranking hit.

Zingle’s teammate Jonas Vingegaard abandoned the race earlier this morning, following his Stage 5 crash, leaving Visma | Lease a Bike with fewer cards to play in the overall classification. So, not the best 24 hours for the Dutch outfit in France.

Zingle himself knew what was coming the moment he stepped onto the sidewalk. A TotalEnergies rider jokingly handed him a virtual yellow card, a lighthearted moment in an otherwise frustrating situation.