‘I lost my mind’ – Juan Pedro Lopez says sorry after throwing bottle at rival at Giro d’Italia

An emotional Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo) has apologised for throwing a bottle at Sam Oomen (Jumbo-Visma) after the pair clashed on Stage 9 at the Giro d’Italia. Lopez produced a gritty ride to cling to the leader’s pink jersey on Stage 9, coming home 1’46” adrift of surprise winner Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe). Ad/> However, the Spaniard used the start of his post-race interview to confess to the incident with Oomen.

Giro d'ItaliaHindley upsets heavyweights on Blockhaus, Yates crumbles, Lopez fights to keep pink3 HOURS AGO “Before any questions, I want to say sorry to Sam Oomen because in one moment of tension, he tried to push me and I lost my mind and threw a bottle at him,” said Lopez. “I want to say sorry.” Lopez’s lead in the general classification may have been slashed to 12 seconds after the fireworks on Blockhaus, but it was a tremendous achievement just for him to keep pink after a brutal day on the bike. It was made even more impressive after he was forced to briefly stop on the final climb after a concertina effect of slowing riders ahead of him.

Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) finished in the lead group to move second in GC, with Romain Bardet (Team DSM), Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) and Hindley among those within shooting distance of Lopez. “This is one dream for me. I don’t believe this moment,” continued Lopez.

“For sure I didn't believe I would be here at the top of Blockhaus before the rest day with the maglia rosa. Today we need to enjoy the dinner and also every moment." ‘He might have just dobbed himself in’ Over on The Breakaway, 12-time Giro stage winner Robbie McEwen expressed his concern that Lopez’s confession might lead to punishment from the race commissaires. “This might be the