New Zealand cyclist Kiaan Watts has been handed a 25-day ban by world cycling’s governing body, the UCI.
It follows an incident where he punched a fellow competitor during a race last month.
The 24-year-old was captured on video footage striking Dutch cyclist Marijn Maas in the head during the Salverda Bouw Ster van Zwolle race in the Netherlands on 7 March.
The UCI confirmed that Watts had accepted the sanction, which will see him suspended until 2 May.
In a statement, the governing body said: “Kiaan Watts will serve a period of suspension of 25 days, with the one-day suspension imposed on the rider by his team on March 8 being credited from the period of suspension.”
Following the altercation, Watts issued an apology on social media, attributing his actions to the “heat of the moment”.
His NSN Development Team also released a statement, expressing regret.
“The team expects that its riders race in a sporting and professional manner at all times and wishes to extend an apology to Marijn Maas, the BEAT CC p/b Saxo team, race organisers, and the UCI Commissaires,” the team stated.
