Lidl-Trek sports director Kim Andersen excluded from Itzulia Basque Country after his team car collided with Markel Beloki

During stage 5 of the Itzulia Basque Country, a collision occurred between a Lidl-Trek team car, driven by sports director Kim Andersen, and EF Education-EasyPost rider Markel Beloki. The incident took place approximately 45 kilometres from the finish line on a slight uphill stretch, where Beloki’s back wheel briefly grazed the left bumper of Andersen’s vehicle. Although Beloki was uninjured, the contact prompted an angry reaction from the rider, who gestured at the car in frustration. Race officials responded decisively to the incident, expelling Andersen from the remainder of the race and imposing a fine of 1,000 Swiss francs alongside a yellow card. This penalty left Lidl-Trek without one of their in-race cars for the final stage, potentially impacting their team support and strategy. The decision underscores the strict safety protocols in place during the event, aimed at protecting riders from dangerous situations involving race vehicles. This was not the first vehicle-related incident in the race, as earlier in stage 2, the race doctor’s car collided with Mikel Landa of Soudal-QuickStep on a downhill section, causing the rider to crash heavily. Although Landa avoided fractures, the injuries sustained forced him to withdraw from the race. These incidents highlight ongoing concerns about the proximity of vehicles to riders during competition and the risks involved. Markel Beloki, currently 19th overall, completed stage 5 over nine minutes behind the leader, Paul Seixas of Decathlon CMA CGM, who maintains a slender advantage with one stage remaining. The exclusion of Andersen and the loss of team support could influence Lidl-Trek’s performance in the race’s closing moments, while the broader implications for race safety protocols may prompt further scrutiny of vehicle management in future events.