Giro d'Italia 2025 penalties: Max Kanter given yellow card and relegated in Giro d'Italia stage 4 sprint

The UCI has been generous with handing out yellow cards in the 2025 Giro d'Italia, with four riders in danger of being disqualified from the race if they receive a second yellow card before the end of the race.

On stage 4 to Lecce, Max Kanter (XDS Astana) was relegated from fifth to 103rd place for barging into race leader Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) during the final kilometres. The German was also fined 500 CHF and lost 13 points toward the ciclamino jersey competition.

In the same finish, Bram Welten (Picnic-PostNL) was also handed a yellow card for sitting up after dropping teammate and stage winner Casper van Uden off with 250 metres to go. Welten was given no other penalty for "decelerating during the final sprint and endangering other riders".

The jury's report also noted that a yellow card was incorrectly given to Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost). After reviewing the footage, Kasper Asgreen (also EF Education-EasyPost) was given a 500 CHF fine, docked 25 UCI points and given a yellow card for "disposing of bottle in a careless manner (thrown with excessive force at spectator and coming back on the road)".

The first yellow card of the Giro d'Italia was earned by Francesco Busatto (Intermarché-Wanty) for delivering a "blow from the elbow and blow from the head two times during the sprint" on the opening stage.

A UCI rule introduced after a trial of the yellow card system last year (2.12.007ter) states that "In case a licence-holder receives 2 yellow cards during the same event, they shall be excluded (in case of a stage race) from the event and be suspended for a period of 7 days".

Three yellow cards in 30 days will lead to a 14-day suspension, and six over 12 months will end in a 30-day suspension.

Only one UCI licence holder has been suspended so far as a result of the yellow card system - Joseba Etxaburu (Media/TV) earned two yellow cards during the Vuelta España Femenina and is suspended until May 16.

Four riders have earned two yellow cards this year: Alexys Brunel (TotalEnergies), Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Cedrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) and Danny van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Only Brunel is at risk of suspension if he is handed a third during the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, as his first offence came on April 18.

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Yellow cards

• Stage 4 - Max Kanter (XDS Astana) - Irregular sprint. Fine of 500 CHF, -13 points at points classification, relegation to last place in the group to which he belonged, yellow card
• Stage 4 - Bram Welten (Picnic-PostNL) - Rider decelerating during the final sprint and endangering other riders. Yellow card
• Stage 3 - Kasper Asgreen (EF Education-EasyPost) - Rider disposing of bottle in a careless manner (thrown with excessive force at spectator and coming back on the road). 500 CHF fine, 25 points at UCI ranking, yellow card.
• Stage 1 - Francesco Busatto (Intermarché-Wanty) - Irregular sprint (blow from the elbow and blow from the head two times during the sprint). Yellow card.

Rules that can result in yellow cards

• YELLOW CARD SYSTEM: SANCTIONS (Version 01.04.25)
• 3.4 - Rider taking off mandatory helmet during the race.
• 4.2.1 - Hand sling between teammates.
• 4.2.2 - Hand sling between riders from different teams.
• 4.3 - Pushing off against car, motorcycle, rider; rider pushing another rider.
• 4.6 - Rider holding onto vehicle or mechanical intervention from a moving vehicle.
• 4.7 - Sheltering behind or taking advantage of the slipstream of a vehicle.
• 4.9 - Follower leaning out of a vehicle or holding equipment outside a vehicle.
• 4.10 - Unauthorised feeding (4.10.1 – 4.10.2 – 4.10.3 – 4.10.4 – 4.10.5 – 4.10.6)
• 4.11 - Irregular feeding (“sticky bottle” or feeding outside feed zone, etc.).
• 4.12 - Non-compliance with the article 2.3.025 by a team assistant during feeding
• 5.1 - Irregular sprint, deviation from the chosen line that obstructs or endangers another
• rider.
• 5.2 - Rider decelerating during a sprint and endangering other riders
• 6.1 - Obstruction by a rider or vehicle in order to prevent or delay the movement of
• another rider or vehicle
• 6.3 - Breach of regulations or guidelines concerning vehicle movements during the race
• or failure to comply with the instructions of commissaires and/or the organisation
• 6.4 – Interviewing a rider during the race.
• 6.5 - Interviewing a sport director during the last 10 kilometres of a race or conducting
• the interview from a car rather than a motorbike.
• 7.1 - Deviation from the race route constituting an advantage, attempting to be placed
• without having covered the entire race route.
• 7.6 - Use of sidewalks/pavements, paths or cycle lanes that do not form part of the race
• route.
• 7.7 - Passing through a level crossing that is closed or in the process of closing (lights
• flashing and/or audible warnings).
• 7.9 - Using a non-compliant position or point of support on the bicycle that represents a
• danger to the rider or competitors.
• 8.1 - Failing to respect the instructions of the organiser or commissaires.
• 8.2.1 – Assault, intimidation, insults, threats, improper conduct (including pulling the
• jersey or saddle of another rider, blow with the helmet, knee, elbow, shoulder, foot or
• hand, etc.), or behaviour that is indecent or that endangers others (between riders)
• 8.2.2 - Assault, intimidation, insults, threats, improper conduct (including pulling the
• jersey or saddle of another rider, blow with the helmet, knee, elbow, shoulder, foot or
• hand, etc.), or behaviour that is indecent or that endangers others (directed at any other
• person, including spectators).
• 8.3 - Rider or team staff disposing of waste or other objects outside of litter
• zones. (adapted also to one-day events since April 1st)