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Giro d’Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes protagonists Marlen Reusser and Lotte Kopecky hit the headlines the wrong way Thursday.

Giro race leader Reusser (Movistar) was slapped with a hefty fine and a yellow card after she lashed out at a rival in the final 300m of Thursday’s sprint into Monselice.

The maglia rosa was cited for “intimidation, insults directed to a rider, and behavior that endangers others” after she was seen launching a fist toward Katia Ragusa of Human Powered Health.

It’s unknown whether Reusser made contact or it was a red mist racing gesture.

Either way, she was issued a yellow card, docked 30 UCI points, and slapped with a 750 CHF ($940 USD) fine in what’s one of the most severe penalties issued by officials so far this year.

Ragusa and Reusser can be seen jockeying for position through the perilous final kilometer of Thursday’s 5th stage.

It appears that Ragusa loses the wheel several times, forcing Reusser to close the gap.

Reusser can then be seen in the corner of the race footage launching an arm toward Ragusa, just a split second before the camera pans toward Lorena Wiebes and her winning sprint.

Reusser will need to keep out of trouble while she defends her 16-second GC lead.

A second yellow card in the final three stages would see her ejected under new UCI regulations.

Lotte Kopecky abandons ‘as a precaution ahead of the Tour de France Femmes’

There was another twist after the stage.

Team SD Worx-Protime confirmed Kopecky won’t continue the race after suffering back pains during the past few stages.

“As a precaution ahead of the Tour de France Femmes, she is leaving the Giro d’Italia Women to take three to four days of complete rest,” read the note.

“According to the medical staff of Team SD Worx-Protime, the discomfort in her lower back should heal completely with a few days of rest. She will then be able to resume her preparations for the Tour de France Femmes as planned.”

Kopecky will be hoping her rehab is as quick as forecasted.

The Tour de France Femmes – and a potential GC battle with Reusser, Demi Vollering, and Kasia Niewiadoma – rolls out on July 26.