Rubio lashes out at Lidl-Trek 'smart alecks': "They didn't keep their word"

First, he had words with Derek Gee-West, then he clashed with Giulio Ciccone. What exactly happened between Einer Rubio and the Lidl-Trek riders during the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia? At Cycling Pro Net, the Colombian shared his side of the story.

"We had agreed with Ciccone that he would take the mountain points," Rubio begins. "I even helped them take turns at the front. The plan was that I would get the 'Red Bull Kilometre' afterwards. But they wanted to act like the 'smart ones,' both wanted to take it. But well..."

Rubio wanted to win the Red Bull sprint because he was near the top of the Red Bull classification, but Gee-West, as a GC contender, was interested in the associated bonus seconds. To Rubio's surprise, the Canadian sprinted to first place. Rubio then retaliated by snatching the mountain points from Ciccone on the Passo Falzarego (11 km at 5.3%).

"They did not stick to their word," Rubio summarizes. "It’s racing, but sometimes you have to be human first and foremost."

Ciccone: "There was no reason for it"
Ciccone also told Cycling Pro Net that he had not seen Rubio’s move coming. "I wasn’t ready, I didn’t expect him to just sprint without a clear reason, because there really was no reason. Those points were absolutely crucial to me because I’m the only one really fighting for that jersey. I don’t think the third-placed rider in that classification still has a chance to win. So he did that sprint... and now I think we just have to ask him if he’s happy with it."