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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Court rejects Peter Sagan appeal to be allowed back into Tour

Peter Sagan of Slovakia, left, sprints as Britain’s Mark Cavendish crashes, during the sprint of the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 207.5 kilometers (129 miles) with start in Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg, and finish in Vittel, France, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. World champion Peter Sagan has been disqualified from the Tour de France for causing a crash in a chaotic sprint finish that left Mark Cavendish needing treatment for his injuries and further examinations in a hospital. (Christophe Ena / Associated Press)
Associated Press

TROYES, France – Sport’s highest court has rejected Peter Sagan’s appeal to be allowed back into the Tour de France.

The world champion was sent home from the race for elbowing British rival Mark Cavendish during Stage 4 on Tuesday.

His Bora-Hansgrohe team appealed to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In a short statement Thursday, the court said it rejected the appeal and that Sagan “remains disqualified from the 2017 Tour de France.”

The team insisted that Sagan “did not cause, let alone deliberately, the fall of Mark Cavendish.”

It said “Sagan stayed on his line and could not see Cavendish on the right side.” The crash forced Cavendish to abandon the race with a broken shoulder.