Pro Log: Enrico Zanoncello disqualified from Giro d’Italia for ‘headbutt’; Pauliena Rooijakkers announces pregnancy; Tour Down Under takes further step towards men’s and women’s parity

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Pro Log: Enrico Zanoncello disqualified from Giro d’Italia for ‘headbutt’; Pauliena Rooijakkers announces pregnancy; Tour Down Under takes further step towards men’s and women’s parity

Welcome back to another edition of Pro Log. Here’s a rundown of the latest results before we get started:

• Giro d’Italia, Stage 16, Tues 26th May: 1st Jonas Vingegaard, Visma-Lease a Bike, 2h 57min 40sec; 2nd Felix Gall, Decathlon CMA CGM, +1min 09sec; 3rd Jai Hindley, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +1min 11sec.
• Giro d’Italia, Stage 15, Sun 24th May: 1st Fredrik Dversnes, Uno-X Mobility, 3h 03min 18sec; 2nd Mirco Maestri, Team Polti VisitMalta, +00sec; 3rd Martin Marcellusi, Bardiani-CSF 7 Saber, +00sec.
• Vuelta a Burgos Feminas, Overall, Sun 24th May: 1st Yara Kastelijn, Fenix-Premier Tech, 13h 20min 04sec; 2nd Évita Muzic, FDJ United-Suez, +20sec; 3rd Usoa Ostolaza, Laboral Kutxa – Fundación Euskadi, +21sec.
• 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Overall, Sun 24th May: 1st Laurence Pithie, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, 19h 35min 55sec; 2nd Natnael Tesfazion, Movistar, +07sec; 3rd Rasmus Tiller. Uno-X Mobility, +11sec.

Jonas Vingegaard continues to lead Giro d’Italia

Visma-Lease a Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard remains in the maglia rosa into the third week of racing at the Giro d’Italia, launching a solo breakaway on Carì in Switzerland to win Stage 16 and push his advantage to over four minutes ahead of Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Thymen Arensman (Netcompany Ineos).

The previous Stage 15 saw the breakaway miraculously survive to contest the victory on the last lap of the finishing circuit in Milan, holding off the peloton after the GC was neutralised following a request from the peloton due to ‘dangerous’ roads. Uno-X Mobility rider Fredrik Dversnes charged to the win ahead of his three Italian breakaway companions.

The final outcome of the race will be decided in the mountains in the final week – most notably on Stage 19 from Feltre to Piani di Pezzè, which includes this year’s Cima Coppi in the iconic Passo Giau, as well as Stage 20’s double ascent of Piancavallo.

• Read more: The stages that will decide the Giro d’Italia GC

Enrico Zanoncello thrown out for ‘headbutt’

One of the biggest talking points on the rest day came after the expulsion from the Giro of Bardiani-CSF-7 Saber rider Enrico Zanoncello. Towards the end of Stage 15, a battle for position naturally developed and Zanoncello, attempting to stay upright after a move from Groupama-FDJ’s Paul Penhoët, then leant into Jayco AlUla’s Bob Donaldson, who crashed.

Zanoncello was hit with a yellow card, 500 Swiss Francs and expelled from the race for a ‘deviation from the chosen line that endangers another rider (blow from the head)’. It was a controversial decision, with a wider video showing the contact with Donaldson coming as a result of Zanoncello himself being bumped by Pen…