‘I don’t have a good explanation’ – Ethan Hayter and Mats Wenzel perplexed at decision to take away points after Vuelta a España stage 3 cancellation

The riders of the Vuelta a España peloton will have been relieved that Monday’s stage 3 was cancelled after a massive hailstorm hit the race close to the finish in Font Romeu. Not all riders were thrilled about the outcome, as the stage was annulled and all results and points wiped.

For green jersey wearer Ethan Hayter, that meant he lost the points picked up at the day’s intermediate sprint, while fellow breakaway rider Mats Wenzel and late attacker Lorenzo Fortunato each missed out on the mountain classification points at the top of the climb where the race was called to a halt, the Col de Mont-Louis.

Speaking to Danish broadcaster TV2 ahead of the stage 4 start in Andorra la Vella, both riders expressed their disappointment with the decision taken by UCI commissaires.

“I actually don’t understand it. It’s quite disappointing,” Hayter said.

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“I used a lot of energy yesterday when it was mainly headwind, and I crossed the points sprint in the sunshine. Yes, I don’t understand it. I don’t have a good explanation.”

With his points wiped, Hayter started stage 4 with 37 points, still five down on classification leader Tadej Pogačar.

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Wenzel, meanwhile, missed out on leapfrogging Koen Bouwman to lead the mountain classification. He said he and Fortunato had crossed the summit of the Col de Mont-Louis before they were told to stop racing ahead of the cancellation.

He, too, was disappointed by the decision taken by the UCI commissaires at the race.

“It was right to stop the race, but maybe the organisers could have given me the mountain points. That would have been cool. But it is what it is,” Wenzel told TV2.

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“They told us 500 meters after the mountain sprint that we had to stop. So yeah… My opinion is that I should have gotten them, but I’ll have to accept it.”

Wenzel said he and his team had spoken to the UCI commissaires to protest the points cancellations, but to no avail.

“In the end it’s their decision, and the decision was made,” he concluded.

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