The Tour Down Under is heating up with tension surrounding stage four's sprint finish to Victor Harbor. Third-placed Jhonatan Narváez raised concerns about a potential rule violation by stage winner Bryan Coquard, claiming he was impeded during the sprint. UAE Team Emirates' sports director, Fabio Baldato, appealed to the jury, but they confirmed Coquard's actions complied with the rules. Meanwhile, Phil Bauhaus noted the challenging dynamics of the sprint. Narváez’s frustration is significant as he trails the overall leader, Javier Romo, by four seconds, making wins crucial as the final stages loom.
Baldato explained Narváez's gesture, telling reporters at the finish, "He was near the limit. I feel the finale was turning a bit to the right, and he told me the rider in front tried to keep a shorter line."
Coquard only learned of Narváez's protest after seeing the replay on television and didn't have any idea what he might have done wrong.
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