ROME- Italian cyclist Vincenzo Nibali, winner of last year’s Tour de France, apologised to fans on his Twitter account for his disqualification in this year’s iteration of the Vuelta a España, the Spanish tour.

 “I sincerely apologise for what happened on the Tour, to those who were upset or ashamed of me” said the cyclist, who was disqualified for holding onto his Kazakhstani team car after a fall on the second stage. It was a mistake that “cost him dearly” in his own words, when he was towed by the team car for 150 metres, which brought heavy criticism from fans.

 Nibali took to Facebook to partially defend his actions, which he said “happen in every race,” and that he will not be “the first or last to do so.” Nibali also talked of his passion for the sport, and the sacrifices he had to make “since he was 16”, including being separated from his family.

 Nibali’s season has proven to be weak, and the cyclist was not shy in acknowledging this, referring to the year as one that “went badly for many reasons.” For him, the Vuelta was an unsuccessful attempt to turn his fortune around, which led to a fall which put him back by a significant one minute and 20 seconds. According to Nibali, in an attempt to catch up and remain in the race for “those who loved him,” he committed the grave error of holding onto the Astana Pro Team car, which was filmed by Eurosport television cameras.

 Upon seeing the footage, the Tour’s commission ruled that Nibali and his team be disqualified: “basing their decision on television images clearly showing an infringement of the rules, the Vuelta race commissaires decided to take him out of the race,” organsiers of the event said.

 Nibali is one of six cyclists who have won all three major tours: the 2013 Giro d'Italia, the 2014 Tour de France and the 2010 Tour of Spain.