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10h ago

Emoji Post Costs Spanish Rider His Place at China’s Tour of Mentougou

Organizers deemed the Strava remark harmful to the race’s image, prompting his exit from China.

Mario Aparicio machte bislang vor allem bei kleineren Rundfahrten auf sich aufmerksam
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Overview

  • Mario Aparicio labeled his Stage 1 Strava activity with a pig and the Chinese flag emojis.
  • Local media and social-media users condemned the post, and comments escalated to explicit death threats.
  • Race organizers disqualified him for making inappropriate remarks that they said damaged the sport’s spirit and the event’s image.
  • Burgos-Burpellet-BH said the pig emoji was an in-joke about teammate Carlos García Pierna rather than an insult to China, yet the decision stood.
  • Aparicio has left the country, and the team went on to secure the overall, with Clément Alleno taking the title.