Tour de France Femmes 2026 Marred by Controversy and Penalties
The Tour de France Femmes 2026 has seen several incidents and penalties throughout its stages. On stage 8, Demi Vollering won the day's race, taking over the yellow jersey, but controversy surrounded an incident between Kasia Niewiadoma and Célia Gery. The two riders were at odds after Niewiadoma lost her lead in the aftermath of a confrontation with Gery.
The jury remained silent on the matter, issuing no penalty to either rider or team. However, other incidents on stage 8 did receive attention from the race officials. Maria Rosa Klöser received a fine of 200 Swiss francs for receiving assistance from a teammate in violation of regulations.
Other teams and riders were also penalized throughout various stages. On stage 7, multiple riders were fined for receiving 'sticky bottles' - prolonged assistance from team vehicles. The fines ranged from 100 to 200 Swiss francs per rider, with their sports directors receiving the same amounts. FDJ United-SUEZ's sports director Nicolas Maire was also fined 200 Swiss francs for failing to follow instructions.
In stage 6, riders Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka and Cédrine Kerbaol were penalized for disposing of waste outside designated litter zones. Each rider received a fine of 250 Swiss francs and had 15 UCI points deducted. Lotte Kopecky and Morgane Coston were fined 100 Swiss francs each for receiving 'sticky bottles.'