Cycling: Belli kicked out of Giro for punching fan

Third-place Wladimir Belli, of the Fassa Bortolo team, has been kicked out of the Giro d'Italia for punching a fan who insulted him along the roads of the 14th stage.

The Giro jury ruled the immediate ban of the Italian cyclist after long consultations and repeated checks of the television tape showing Belli knocking down the fan with a right hook as he pedaled along a narrow road climbing to the top of the Santa Barbara pass.

Jean Pierre Coppenolle, the Belgian president of the jury, said there was no excuse for Belli's misbehavior.

"We are aware that Belli has been provoked ... however rules are clear in this case. It's a fine and the immediate ban from the race," Coppenolle said.

Ironically the youth punched by Belli was the nephew of Gilberto Simoni, the race leader, whose relatives live not far from Arco.

After the incident Belli made it to the finish line in a small group of six, placed second to Colombian Humberto Contreras in the stage sprint holding third place in the overall standings, 1:19 minutes behind Simoni.

Following the jury decision Belli was dropped from the standings.

"I made a mistake," Belli was quoted as saying by the Italian news agency Ansa. "They made me nervous along the climb and it was an instinctive reaction.

"I feel like a cyclist who was third in the standings and will be unable to start in Sunday's leg."