A New Zealand cyclist has been handed a 25-day ban by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) after he was filmed punching a rival during a race in the Netherlands last month.
Kiaan Watts, 24, was captured on video striking Dutch cyclist Marijn Maas in the head during the Salverda Bouw Ster van Zwolle race on 7 March. The UCI confirmed that Watts accepted the sanction, which will see him suspended until 2 May.
In a statement, the governing body said: “Kiaan Watts will serve a period of suspension of 25 days, with the one-day suspension imposed on the rider by his team on March 8 being credited from the period of suspension.”
Following the incident, Watts issued an apology on social media, attributing his actions to the “heat of the moment”. His team, NSN Development Team, also released a statement expressing regret, saying: “The team expects that its riders race in a sporting and professional manner at all times and wishes to extend an apology to Marijn Maas, the BEAT CC p/b Saxo team, race organisers, and the UCI Commissaires.”
