The disqualification of Azzaro seems excessive and reopens the debate that already marked the Paris 2024 Olympics

The disqualification of Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) after the XCO World Cup in Leogang has generated surprise among a good part of the international paddock. The Frenchman lost the second position he achieved at the finish line after the officials considered that he had incorrectly used the feeding zone, a situation that immediately reminded us of a very similar case that occurred at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The decision is particularly striking because at that time the UCI opted for a much lighter sanction despite the action having a direct influence on the fight for Olympic medals.

What did Azzaro do in Leogang?

After finishing the race, Azzaro himself explained that he had entered the feeding zone through the wrong line. The images show the Frenchman crossing the lane designated for technical assistance and feeding without picking up food, drink, or receiving mechanical help before rejoining the course.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series (@uci_mtbworldseries)

RECOMENDADO

Boichis finds the perfect attack and wins his first Elite XCO World Cup in Leogang: Azzaro has been disqualified after finishing second

Jenny Rissveds' great performance in Leogang to achieve her first victory of the year

"It was a stupidity and it is completely my fault": Seixas takes responsibility for his fall

2026 XCO World Cup in Leogang: How to Watch Live, Schedule, and Favorites

Valero remains unbeatable in the XCM World Cup and wins the iconic Hero Sudtirol Dolomites

Mitterwallner challenges modern XCO and will race in Leogang on a hardtail

The regulations state that riders cannot use the technical lane to gain a sporting advantage and even contemplate disqualification when there is no valid reason to enter that zone. But, as can be seen in the video, Azzaro does not gain any advantage because he was in first place and finishes in the same position.

After the race, the officials announced the disqualification of the Frenchman, completely altering the podium of Leogang. Luca Martin moved up to second place and Bjorn Riley inherited third place.

A very similar Olympic precedent

The controversy inevitably recalls what happened at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games during the women's XCO race.

On that occasion, Haley Batten crossed the feeding zone without stopping to pick up food, drink, or mechanical assistance and took advantage of that movement to launch an attack on Jenny Rissveds in the last lap of the race.

The maneuver had enormous sporting significance. At that moment, Batten and Rissveds were directly fighting for the silver and bronze Olympic medals, so the action directly influenced the outcome of the event.

Despite this, the American retained the silver medal.

The situation generated debate immediately after the Olympic race. From the Netherlands, there was even consideration of filing a formal protest, although it was ultimately not done.

Jenny Rissveds, the rider directly affected by Batten's move, downplayed the incident and accepted the final result without claiming any additional sanction.

For its part, the American delegation also minimized what happened during the post-race press conference.

Ultimately, the officials considered that there was an infraction, but the sanction applied was only a fine of 500 Swiss francs for using the feeding zone without taking anything or receiving technical assistance.

Two similar cases, two very different sanctions

The comparison between both episodes is inevitable.

In Paris 2024, a similar action occurred during the dispute for an Olympic medal and ended with a financial sanction of 500 Swiss francs. In Leogang 2026, the regulatory interpretation has led to a disqualification that has altered the podium of a World Cup.

The difference in criteria is precisely what is generating debate among riders, teams, and fans.

Beyond the letter of the regulation, many observers believe that both Batten in Paris and Azzaro in Leogang made a mistake derived from the race dynamics itself and not a deliberate maneuver to gain an unfair advantage.

What seems certain is that the sanction applied to the Frenchman will continue to be a topic of discussion in the coming days and will again focus attention on how the use of feeding zones should be interpreted in top-level cross-country events.