Tour de France Fines Mount as Riders Push Limits

The Tour de France is known for pushing riders to their limits, but it's not just about who reaches the finish line first. The race jury is always on the lookout for rule-breakers, and this year was no exception.

One notable incident occurred in Stage 17, where Visma | Lease a Bike team manager Arthur van Dongen received a yellow card, a fine of 1,000 Swiss francs, and his car was relegated to last place due to non-compliance with team car rules. Hugo Page (Cofidis) also faced a fine of 500 Swiss francs for urinating in public.

In Stage 16, several riders and team managers were fined for various infractions, including incorrect vehicle movements during the time trial. Team manager Steven de Jongh (Lidl-Trek) was fined 2,000 Swiss francs, while Hans Baltus of Picnic PostNL support staff received a fine of 500 Swiss francs.

Tom Pidcock took a significant hit in Stage 15, receiving the full set of penalties twice for colliding with a team car. This included a 200 Swiss franc fine, a 10-second time penalty, and deductions from his UCI points and mountains classification totals.