COLOMBEY-LES-DEUX-EGLISES, France: The friends and family of Julien Bernard gathered on a hillside to greet him as the Tour de France passed by his home during Friday’s stage in Burgundy giving him a welcome that authorities found a little too warm.
Celebrations went too far for the International Cycling Union race commissaries, responsible for imposing general rules during races.
While normally these rules concern answering the call of nature in public or deviating dangerously from one’s line, Friday’s offense was of a more festive nature.
With a huge crowd outside Nuits Saint Georges chanting the local boy’s name, he stopped to hug and kiss his wife Margot, who had their child Charles in her arms at the time.
“I’d been waiting for this moment since the route was announced last October,” he told local newspaper ‘Le Bien Public’.
“This kind of moment comes once in a lifetime and never mind if they fined me (200 Swiss francs).
The fine was explained as for behavior damaging to the image of the sport.
“My wife organized for everyone to come and see me at that point of the race and I wanted to show my gratitude and thank her for that,” explained the 32-year-old.
The authorities were more bothered by the behavior of his friends who whipped up the deep crowds threatening the security barrier and pushing forward with the locals cheering “Lalalala Julien Bernard.”
For the record, he came 61st on the day 3min 11sec down on winner Renco Evenepoel.
Cyclist fined after kissing his wife at Tour de France
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Cyclist fined after kissing his wife at Tour de France
- Celebrations went too far for the International Cycling Union race commissaries, responsible for imposing general rules during races
- Julien Bernard stopped to hug and kiss his wife Margot, who had their child Charles in her arms at the time
