Peter Sagan Disqualified from Tour de France After Mark Cavendish Crash

Five-time green jersey winner Peter Sagan will not tie Erik Zabel's record during the 2017 Tour de France, as the Slovak has been disqualified for his role in Mark Cavendish's horror crash during Stage 4. 

The world champion was initially docked 80 points, but after further deliberation, Tour officials announced a change of heart:

BORA-hansgrohe, Sagan's team, have announced they will protest the decision, but it's unlikely to change anything.

Sagan and Cavendish came together during the sprint for the Stage 4 win, with the Manx Missile trying to create space near the barriers. The Slovak did not allow him to pass and appeared to use his elbow to force Cavendish wide, with the latter refusing to let up and eventually crashing.

Here's a look at the full sequence:

Sagan managed to stay upright and sprinted to second place, but the result was scratched soon after the stage. He initially lost all the points he earned on Tuesday and fell far back in the race for the green jersey, a punishment that seemed fair given his excessive use of elbows.

His disqualification was met with disbelief, however. Sprinters use their elbows to create or maintain space every day, and Cavendish himself is known for using the technique. The veteran sprinter should have known there was no space on Sagan's right and may have avoided crashing by not pushing on in the first place.

As shared by the Inner Ring, event organisers deviated from the usual punishment:

Cycling writer Mohai Cazacu agreed the punishment was far too harsh:

Sagan is one of the most popular riders in the sport and was regarded as a shoe-in to win the green jersey once again. His absence will be a huge loss for the Tour, and questions regarding the severity of his punishment will undoubtedly be asked.