On Friday, friends and family gathered on a hill to welcome cyclist Julian Bernard as the Tour de France passed through his hometown during stage seven in Burgundy. However, he didn't expect that kissing his wife would result in a fine. Officials from the International Cycling Union, responsible for enforcing rules during the races, deemed Bernard's actions a violation.
In the presence of a large crowd outside Nuits-Saint-Georges cheering for the local star, Bernard stopped to embrace and kiss his wife Margaux, who was holding their child Charles in her arms at the time. Bernard told the local newspaper "Le Bien Public," "I have been waiting for this moment since the route was announced last October," adding, "moments like this happen once in a lifetime, and it doesn't matter if they impose a fine on me (200 Swiss francs)."
In justifying the fine, the officials stated that Bernard's behavior harms the image of the sport. The 32-year-old cyclist revealed, "My wife invited everyone to come see me at that stage of the race, and I wanted to show my gratitude and thanks for that." Officials were more annoyed by Bernard's friends' behavior than anything else, as their rush nearly knocked over the barriers meant to keep the audience away from the cyclists' path.
