The 2026 Tour de France has been a spectacle of cycling prowess, but it's also been a showcase of discipline and rules. The race jury has been busy ensuring that all riders and team directors adhere to the regulations, and the fines and penalties handed out reflect the seriousness of any infractions. From discarding trash in the wrong places to accepting food outside the designated zones, the Tour de France is a test of both physical and mental fortitude, and the consequences of breaking the rules can be severe.
On Stage 20, Sepp Kuss undoubtedly stole the show, but it wasn't for the reasons he might have hoped. The American rode solo at the front, crashed twice, and ultimately finished third. However, it was his mistakes regarding discarding trash in the wrong places that caught the jury's attention. Kuss received a fine of 500 Swiss francs for the first offense, plus a deduction of 25 UCI points. For the second offense, he faced a stiffer penalty: another 1,000 francs, a 60-second time penalty in the general classification, and 50 UCI points. This was a harsh reminder that even the most determined cyclists must adhere to the rules.
Other incidents on Stage 20 included Toms Skujins and Brent Van Moer being caught with sticky water bottles, leading to fines of 200 francs each for them and their team managers. Sam Bewley, team manager at NSN, also faced a fine of 500 Swiss francs for supplying riders while passing the peloton, a rule that must be strictly followed.
Stage 19 saw Adam Yates play a key role for Tadej Pogacar, but he needed a sticky water bottle from the team car along the way, leading to a 200 franc fine for the Brit. Aurélien Paret-Peintre of Decathlon CMA CGM faced the same penalty. Yvon Ledanois, team manager of XDS Astana, received a fine of 200 francs for failing to follow the commissioner's instructions.
Stage 17 was a grueling battle, but it was team manager Arthur van Dongen who crossed the line. The Dutchman was severely penalized for failing to follow the rules regarding team cars during the race, receiving a yellow card, a fine of 1,000 Swiss francs, and his car being required to take 23rd place in the line-up for stage 18. Hugo Page (Cofidis) was also fined 500 francs for urinating in public.
The sixteenth stage saw a number of fines for incorrect movements by vehicles during the time trial. Team manager Steven de Jongh (Lidl-Trek) was fined 2,000 Swiss francs, and Hans Baltus, a member of the Picnic PostNL support staff, had to pay 500 francs for a similar offense. Fines were also imposed on Astana rider Nico Vinokurov and his team manager Dmitriy Fofonov for not presenting the rider's time trial bike for inspection 10 minutes before the start.
Stage 15 was marred by Jonas Vingegaard's crash and withdrawal, but the jury's report highlighted further incidents. Tom Pidcock, the Pinarello-Q36.5 team leader, received a heavy penalty for colliding with a team car during the stage, facing a 200 Swiss franc fine, a 10-second time penalty, a deduction of 15 UCI points, and 15 points in the mountains classification. This was a significant hit across all classifications.
The jury's sharp eye for rule-breaking continued on Stage 14, where Nicolas Prodhomme of Decathlon CMA CGM used a sticky water bottle and was fined 200 Swiss francs, with his team manager fined 500 francs. Anthon Charmig of Uno-X Mobility lost the race after riding alone behind the race for almost the entire day and finishing well outside the time limit, 58 minutes and 17 seconds behind Tadej Pogacar.
The race organizers had nothing to report on Stage 13, but Stage 12 saw the first major crash of the Tour de France. Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural) made contact with the rear wheel of Vlad Van Mechelen (Bahrain Victorious), who was penalised with a fine of 500 Swiss francs and a deduction of 18 points from the points classification. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) veered off course at the intermediate sprint but was given a warning.
Stage 11 saw no penalties imposed, but one was overturned after deliberation. Stage 10 resulted in two fines for Adam Yates and UAE Emirates-XRG team manager Matxin, who were fined 700 Swiss francs for a sticky bottle. Stage 8 saw everyone behave in an exemplary manner, but Stage 9 had the jury's hands full again. Christoph Roodhooft was fined 500 Swiss francs for failing to comply with the race commissioners' guidelines, and Enrico Gasparotto, team manager of Bahrain Victorious, received a warning for the same reason.
Biniam Girmay (NSN) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM) also received warnings for 'intimidation in the final sprint.' Girmay collided with Soren Waerenskjold of Uno-X in the final turn, while Kooij made slight contact with Max Kanter of XDS Astana. Stage 7 saw a fine issued to Alpecin-Premier Tech team director Frederik Willems for disposing of waste outside the designated zones, leading to a total fine of 1,000 Swiss francs for the team.
Stage 6 saw Huub Artz drop back from the breakaway after receiving three warnings for his position on the bike, but he was not punished further. The only actual fine listed for the stage went to a Soudal Quick-Step staff member for incorrectly handing out food or drink. Stage 5 saw fines for Lotto Intermarché and Alpecin-Premier Tech, with Pieter Vanspeybroeck and Christoph Roodhooft facing penalties for violating vehicle movement rules.
Stage 4 saw only one penalty, for Vlad Van Mechelen, who was fined 500 Swiss francs for disposing of waste outside the designated zones. Kelland O'Brien (Jayco AlUla) was withdrawn from the race for finishing outside the time limit. Stage 3 saw a well-stocked UCI fine fund, with fines issued to Daan Hoole, Clement Braz Afono, and their team directors for a sticky water bottle, and penalties for Cofidis, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, and Tudor for feed zone rule violations.
Andrej Hauptman, Tadej Pogacar's regular team director, was fined 500 Swiss francs and given a yellow card for driving rule violations. Stage 2 saw Pablo Castrillo of Movistar fined for a sticky water bottle, with his team manager facing a 500 franc penalty. UAE Emirates-XRG won the stage but also had to pay up, with mechanic Bostian Kavcnik fined for assisting a rider in a way that was not permitted.
