‘I’m sorry’: Tour de France rider Julien Bernard fined for kissing wife

A Tour de France rider has apologised after wild scenes erupted during a time trial when he stopped to kiss his wife.

This kiss came with a cost.

French cyclist Julien Bernard was fined 200 Swiss francs ($A331) by the International Cycling Union for stopping to kiss his wife during the time-trial seventh stage of the Tour de France on Friday.

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The race took place in Bernard’s French hometown of Burgundy, and fans showered him as he came through one stretch 15 minutes in.

That’s when Bernard briefly veered off the road to greet his wife and young son.

Bernard and his wife shared a brief kiss.

The UCI said in a statement that Bernard’s behaviour had been “inappropriate and damaged the image of the sport.”

Bernard apologised afterward.

“I’m sorry UCI for damaging the image of the sport,” Bernard wrote on X. “But I’m willing to pay 200 Swiss francs every day and experience this moment again.”

Bernard later revealed in a television interview how much the moment meant to him.

“It was really incredible,” Bernard said. “My wife has been organising this with some friends for a few weeks now, and she did a really, really good job.

“On a time trial, you have time to enjoy yourself. It’s these moments that keep me going and cycling.”

Julian Bernard had a hero's reception. Photo: Twitter

Bernard went to kiss his wife. Photo: Twitter

Days on, Tour de France overall leader Tadej Pogacar voiced frustration with Jonas Vingegaard’s defensive tactics on Sunday, claiming the defending champion was “scared” as little-known Frenchman Anthony Turgis won stage nine.

The attack-minded Pogacar tried to break several times through the champagne vineyards, including dusty gravel roads for a first time, but finished alongside his title rivals Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.

“It’s a shame me, Remco and Jonas didn’t go for it together,” said Slovenian Pogacar.

“I think it’s because of (Vingegaard’s team) Visma’s tactics. Otherwise, we’d have been the three of us on the podium.

“They are scared of me and just followed.”

Second-placed Evenepoel agreed with Pogacar but was less disappointed.

“It’s a shame yes, we could have taken three or four minutes off the others,” said Evenepoel.

“I had a good time though, I enjoyed it. You have to accept other team tactics.”

Pogacar leads Belgian Evenepoel by just 33sec while Vingegaard is third at 1min 15sec.

Pogacar won the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021, but came second to Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023.

Pogacar won the Giro d’Italia in May and will become the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to do a Giro-Tour double if he emerges on top after stage 21 in Nice later in July.

With AFP

This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.