Berliner Tageblatt - Cyclist fined after kissing his wife at Tour de France

Celebrations went too far for the International Cycling Union race commissaries, responsable 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 offence 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 behaviour damaging to the image of the sport.

"My wife organised 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 behaviour of his friends who whipped up the deep crowds threatening the security barrier and pushing forwards with the locals cheering "Lalalala Julien Bernard."

For the record, he came 61st on the day 3min 11sec down on winner Renco Evenepoel.

S.Keller--BTB