Cycling race is engulfed by punch controversy as leader appears to HIT out at rival in final sprint

Leader of the Giro d'Italia Women's race Marlen Reusser has been fined, docked UCI points and given a yellow card after appearing to hit out at another rider during a race.

The competition has just sailed through stage six, with Liane Lippert claiming a sprint finish in what was her first victory since the same stage last year.

The sport, though, has been engulfed in controversy after Swiss rider Reusser, who is currently 16 seconds ahead of closest rival Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy, was hit with disciplinary action after the fifth stage.

Reusser claimed reclaimed the pink jersey - reserved for the race leader - when she retook the lead in the competition in stage four, but was fined for 'intimidation, insults directed to a rider and behaviour that endangers others' during Thursday's sprint stage to Monselice.

The incident happened in the sprint to the line, which saw a large group of women dashing for the finish - mostly with their heads down.

Reusser, though, could be seen putting her arm out in a punching motion, appearing to be aiming for Italian rider Katia Ragusa.

Reusser did not appear to make contact with her competitor, but gesticulated and shouted at her rival in the sprint.

She was fined £697, docked 30 UCI points and given the yellow card for intimidation.

Reusser's team were keen to make it known that no contact was made, with Movistar DS Kelvin Dekker saying: 'She doesn't hit, she doesn't strike. And certainly not because she drops the gap, but because she nearly knocks her off her bike at 700m with a manoeuvre.

'She makes a gesture of what are you doing, but Ragusa/her team has no idea there was even a movement. They were called later by the jury and had no clue what it was about.

'Marlen needs to keep her hands on the handlebars in the finale. Otherwise, nothing's wrong.'