Olympic ski cross champion Simone Deromedis FUMES after disqualified rival Youri Duplessis Kergomard hits him in the face

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TNT Sports commentators Ed Drake and Emily Sarsfield were left aghast at the conclusion of the Gallivare ski cross World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. Despite both Simone Deromedis and Youri Duplessis-Kergomard cruising home in winning positions, the pair conspired to knock each other out. The Frenchman was seen hitting the Italian in the face, with Deromedis sent sprawling into the snow.

'Wow' - Tempers flare as 'angry' skier appears to PUNCH rival in face

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Olympic ski cross champion Simone Deromedis was left fuming after being taken out by rival Youri Duplessis-Kergomard at the Gallivare World Cup.

The pair are locked in a battle for second place in the discipline standings with one race still to come on Sunday in Sweden.

But both shot themselves in the foot in a highly unusual incident in the quarter-finals of Saturday's event, with Duplessis-Kergomard disqualified for his part in a feisty tussle around the final bend.

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After some aggressive ski-to-ski racing, the Frenchman lashed out with his arm, catching Deromedis in the face and eventually crossing the line first with the Italian sent sprawling behind him.

"Those two are locked in a battle for that runner-up position and the season title. They didn't need to take each other out there - both of them were going through," explained Drake.

As per FIS regulations, even though Deromedis was in a qualifying position and Duplessis-Kergomard was sanctioned for causing him to crash, both were unable to progress to the semi-finals.

Watch: 'You cannot do that!' - Big clash mars ski cross semi-final

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The Italian, who beat compatriot Federico Tomasoni to Olympic gold at Milano Cortina, continued to rage after he crossed the finish line, with fortunate duo Tomasoni and Nicolas Raffort sent through in their stead.

"I never skied into you, and you come to the right for no reason!" fumed Deromedis once he had caught up with the Frenchman at the finish line.

"You were pushing me on the last turn," countered Duplessis-Kergomard.

Drake added: "Tempers flaring, and you can understand why. It was those two that were going through. They didn't need to come together there. They had a lot of space as well. Obviously, they didn't quite know that.

"An interesting one, you would have felt that there was no one right behind you as well."

Sarsfield said: "And that was some solid skiing from Duplessis-Kergomard and Deromedis doesn't quite like it."

Slow motion replays clearly showed Duplessis Kergomard swinging his arm backwards into the face of the Italian as the pair rounded the final turn.

"That didn't look great from the Frenchman, did it? The foot moved towards the outside there," commented Drake.

Sarsfield replied: "And that was it, game over, because Deromedis just can't do anything when he's pushed on the feet."

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"You can see how angry Deromedis is there," continued Sarsfield as the Italian was shown pounding the snow in frustration with his one remaining pole.

"I mean that definitely looked like the Frenchman was a bit of a naughty boy," noted Drake.

"I think he was talking about how there was contact beforehand, but that doesn't give you the right [to lash out]."

Reece Howden was already confirmed as crystal globe winner in Craigleith last weekend and home favourite David Mobarg edged out the Canadian in Gallivare to keep his hopes of an overall podium alive.

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