Todd Wells leads Rom Akerson
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Outside assistance issue arises
Last year’s La Ruta de los Conquistadores overall runner-up Rom Akerson was disqualified after Costa Rican Cycling Federation officials ruled that he had accepted assistance from outside the race’s designated areas during stage 1 on Thursday. Racers are allowed to accept assistance only in the feeds zones and within 500m before and after.
La Ruta promoter Roman Urbina said that he regretted that the officials had to make the disqualification, but that the race had to be fair for all the top riders. He noted that the race is regulated by the Costa Rican Cycling Federation (Federación Costarricense de Ciclistmo, FECOCI).
The federation’s officials and judges were presiding at the race. In an official statement after the race, organizers said, “Policies, procedures and penalties are regulated and enforced by the FECOCI through its representing judges in the event. La Ruta must respect these decisions.”
“They told him not to do it and he kept doing it. It’s not like he wasn’t warned,” said Urbina to a group of reporters immediately after the finish. “Then he kept doing it. I hate to disqualify him. He asked me if I could just keep him in, and I said, ‘I love you as a person and you’re a great athlete, but what about the rest of the field?’ They will be on my butt if I let you go.”
“It’s the same rule as recent years. Rom is a great guy, and I love his family. Friendship is one thing and another is being fair. It’s not fair for the others.”
Urbina noted that other top riders were complying with the ban against outside assistance. “[Stage winner Paolo] Montoya came in, and he looked almost dead. I saw Paolo out there and people were offering him ice cold water and he was saying ‘no’. They were all following the rules, and it should be the same for all the top guys.”
Although Akerson was not available at the race finish for immediate comment after the disqualification, he posted a statement in response on Facebook afterward. “I want to clarify how I was disqualified because many call me to ask what happened?”
Akerson said
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