The jury handed out nearly 10,000 CHF worth of fines on Tuesday at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes as three sports directors were penalised heavily for lateness at the start of the team time trial.
Mathew Hayman (Jayco AlUla) and Benoit Genauzeau (TotalEnergies) were fined 3,500 CHF each on Tuesday for failing to present their team's bikes for inspection at least 15 minutes before their TTT start time, whilst Lotto Intermarché's Mario Aerts earned a 3,000 CHF penalty for the same offense, just committed by fewer riders.
UCI rule 2.5.009 outlines that for TTTs "riders of each team shall present themselves with their equipment at the bike check area no later than 15 minutes before their team scheduled start time. This check is mandatory and must be passed before the rider is allowed to start. After this final check, riders must remain within the controlled area, composed of the bike check, warm-up and waiting areas, until their start."
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Failure to do so will result in a fine of 500 CHF per rider, per rule 2.12.007-9.2, which is why Tuesday's fines were so large – Jayco and TotalEnergies were fined for lateness of all seven riders, whilst Lotto only started with six.
In an individual time trial, the riders are fined directly, but in a TTT, the total fine falls on the head of the lead DS who is responsible for getting their riders to the start on time.
As a result, the jury racked up a total of 9,500 CHF in fines on Tuesday, approximately €10,300 or $11,900.
No other fines were handed out on stage 3, with only minor penalties given out on stages 1 and 2 for more minor infringements, making the TTT by far the most expensive day for teams so far.
This isn't the first time we have seen big financial penalties handed out at a TTT. At last year's Vuelta Femenina, Movistar were fined 1,600 CHF for arriving to the bike check late. The fine per rider is only 200 CHF in a Women's WorldTour event, compared to 500 CHF in men's WorldTour races.
Generally, fines will be deducted from a team's total prize money pot at the end of a race rather than paid directly, but a penalty of over 3,000 CHF will make a much bigger dent in any winnings than normal.
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