The yellow card system came into full use this year in professional cycling but the reality is it hasn't had much effect at all in the peloton. This Sunday at the
Baloise Belgium Tour, on paper, for the first time a rider would be removed from the race because of the accumulation of yellow cards. Only
Oscar Riesebeek crashed in the same instance as he broke the rules.
It was a very unusual moment at the Baloise Belgium Tour. Riesebeek had already received a yellow card earlier in the race on stage 2, and on the final day of the Belgian race heading into Brussels, he found himself in a positioning battle with a few INEOS Grenadiers riders. Only he was not using the road, but was instead on the outside pavement. As he tried to get back into the road he didn't find space and lost control of the bike, crashing at speed and withdrawing from the race.
Adding insult to the injury, he received a yellow card for his dangerous behaviour in the peloton. He is the first rider to receive 2 yellow cards in the same race which would have him on paper removed from it. Whilst the race is over, he is now going to have to be cautious during the Tour de France where he is scheduled to be present in, and a third yellow card in the space of 1 month would lead to another suspension.