Team Sky’s Tour de France bid plunged into turmoil after one of its riders was disqualified for punching an opponent.

Italian Gianni Moscon was kicked out of the race after striking a rider from Team Fortuneo-Samsic in the first half-mile of Stage 15.

It makes the hardest week of a brutal three-week race more difficult for Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome, who are in first and second in the Yellow Jersey standings.

Team Sky will now spend Monday’s rest day deciding whether to fire the 24-year-old, after he was suspended last year for racially abusing another cyclist during a race.

Tour de France officials reviewed footage from the start of Sunday’s stage, when Moscon appeared to swing his right arm at Frenchman Elie Gesbert’s face.

A key member of Team Sky’s eight-man squad for the race, the Italian will head home with unanswered questions over his future on the team.

“We support and accept the decision by the race organizers to exclude Gianni Moscon from the Tour de France,” Team Sky general manager Dave Brailsford said. “Gianni is desperately disappointed in his behavior and knows that he has let himself, the Team and the race down. We will address this incident with Gianni once the Tour is complete and decide then if any further action should be taken.

“I would like to offer my sincere apologies to both Elie Gesbert and Team Fortuneo-Samsic for this unacceptable incident.”

Moscon publicly apologized Sunday for his actions via Team Sky’s Twitter account.

“I’m sorry for today’s incident and I totally regret my actions,” Moscon said. “I would like to personally apologize to Elie Gesbert for the incident on today’s stage. What happened was wrong and was a bad example coming from me to everyone. I want to publicly apologize for what happened to my teammates, everyone involved in Team Sky and everyone involved in the Tour de France.”

The riders have a rest day on Monday, when Netflix binges, massages, interviews, siestas, refueling and light rides will be the order of the day.

The race goes to the Pyrenees on Tuesday. Thomas, 32, has been strong in the mountains so far, but has previously hinted he could lose the Yellow Jersey over the next few days, even though he still holds a 1:39 lead over Froome.

Denmark’s Magnus Cort Nielsen out-sprinted two breakaway rivals to win Stage 15 in Carcassonne. But the race leaders all rolled over the finish line at a snail’s pace of 13:10 later, choosing to save their legs for the hills.