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Giro d\u2019Italia Women<\/a> and Tour de France Femmes<\/a> protagonists Marlen Reusser<\/a> and Lotte Kopecky<\/a> hit the headlines the wrong way Thursday.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s sprint into Monselice<\/a>.<\/p>\n The maglia rosa was cited for \u201cintimidation, insults directed to a rider, and behavior that endangers others\u201d after she was seen launching a fist toward Katia Ragusa of Human Powered Health.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unknown whether Reusser made contact or it was a red mist racing gesture.<\/p>\n Either way, she was issued a yellow card, docked 30 UCI points, and slapped with a 750 CHF ($940 USD) fine in what\u2019s one of the most severe penalties issued by officials so far this year.<\/p>\n Ragusa and Reusser can be seen jockeying for position through the perilous final kilometer of Thursday\u2019s 5th stage.<\/p>\n It appears that Ragusa loses the wheel several times, forcing Reusser to close the gap.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> and her winning sprint.<\/p>\n Reusser will need to keep out of trouble while she defends her 16-second GC lead.<\/p>\n A second yellow card in the final three stages would see her ejected under new UCI regulations.<\/p>\n Lotte Kopecky abandons \u2018as a precaution ahead of the Tour de France Femmes\u2019<\/p>\n There was another twist after the stage.<\/p>\n Team SD Worx-Protime confirmed Kopecky won\u2019t continue the race after suffering back pains during the past few stages.<\/p>\n