Cyclist Handed 25-Day Ban for On-Race Altercation

The governing body of world cycling has imposed a 25-day suspension on New Zealand cyclist Kiaan Watts following an incident in which he struck a fellow competitor during a race. Footage from the event, held in the Netherlands on March 7, showed Watts punching Dutch cyclist Marijn Maas in the head. The Union Cycliste Internationale confirmed that Watts has accepted the penalty, which will be in effect until May 2. According to the UCI, Watts will serve the suspension, with a one-day team-imposed penalty on March 8 counted towards the total. Watts took to social media to apologize for his actions, stating he acted impulsively, and his team, NSN Development Team, also issued an apology for the incident. The team emphasized its expectation for riders to conduct themselves in a professional and sporting manner at all times, extending apologies to Maas, the BEAT CC p/b Saxo team, race organizers, and UCI officials.