"Unfair to judge what happened based only on a short clip" - Zanoncello disappointed after Giro headbutt disqualification
Cycling
Enrico Zanoncello has claimed that the decision to disqualify him from the Giro d'Italia was 'unfair' based on a piece of footage. The Bardiani CSF 7 Saber sprinter was expelled after he was deemed to headbutt another rider, leading to a high-speed crash on Sunday's stage 15.
Commissaires decided to expel the Italian from the race for the move that saw a crash among the peloton as they competed for minor places in Milan. Footage showed Zanoncello appear to make contact with Robert Donaldson in a move across the bunch. Donaldson then crashed heavily.
Zanoncello was soon given a 1,000 Swiss franc fine, a yellow card and immediate disqualification from the Corsa Rosa. However, the 28-year-old has responded to the disqualification, admitting that the crash was unintentional.
“I sincerely feel sorry for the guy involved in the fall,” he wrote on Instagram. “I never wanted it to end this way.”
In the statement, Zanoncello appeared to suggest that the punishment was 'unfair' due to the nature of the footage: “There was never any intention to harm or endanger anyone. I’m really sorry about what happened. I think it is unfair to judge what happened based only on a short clip,” Zanoncello wrote.
Zanoncello 'hurt' to see Giro end
On reflection, Zanoncello believes that the incident could be seen in a different light in hindsight: “Seeing the full pictures, the dynamics seem different and clearer.”
Zanoncello has been with Bardiani CSF 7 Saber since 2021, and has four professional victories. The most notable of those came in the 2024 Giro d'Abruzzo and 2023 Tour de Taiwan.
Competing in his third Giro, Zanoncello leaves the race in disappointment. He took home a ninth place finish in Naples back in stage nine and admitted that it 'hurts' to leave the race in that fashion: “Leaving the Giro d’Italia this way hurts,” he added. “It’s definitely not how I wanted it to end.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- wtf dudemij07-11-2026
- big rival … ridiculous.Ketterechts07-11-2026
- It would be great if the World Champion's jersey could be rotated among McNulty, Simmons, and Jorgenson. They threaded the needle perfectly. If each hadn't done exactly what he did, exactly when he did it, the race would have gone to one of the more heralded superstars. That said, how nice that this humble and hardworking guy gets his moment in the sun.
MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Seriously do you think when somebody gets into a serious accident, the ambulance is called by the hurt person?🤦 there is always a buddy system in place for a risky job. police , firefighters etc so that if someone gets hurt, the other call that in.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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