French cyclist Julien Bernard has been ordered to pay 200 Swiss francs (US$223) by the Tour de France’s governing body for stopping during a time trial for the iconic race on Friday to kiss his wife, the BBC reports.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) said the fine was for “unseemly or inappropriate behaviour during the race and damage to the image of the sport.”
Bernard, who races for the Lidl-Trek team, issued an apology to the UCI on social media – but also said that the kiss made the penalty worth it. “It’s these moments that keep me going and cycling,” the 32-year-old noted during a televised interview afterwards.
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The romantic moment took place during stage seven of the Tour de France, one of two time trials in the race, near where Bernard lives in Burgundy.
As Bernard reached the top of a climb, some of his friends ran up to meet him – including his wife, who stepped forward to kiss the cyclist, while holding their son. “It was really incredible,” Bernard later described. “My wife has been organising this with some friends for a few weeks now and she did a really, really good job.”
The 2024 Tour de France started on 29 June and the final stage, number 21, is scheduled for 21 July.
