This kiss came at a price.
French cyclist Julien Bernard has been fined 200 Swiss francs (about $223) by the International Cycling Union after he stopped to kiss his wife during the seventh stage of the Tour de France time trial on Friday.
The race took place in Bernard’s home region of Burgundy, France, and fans cheered as he completed the first stage 15 minutes later.
At that moment, Bernard pulled off the road briefly to greet his wife and young son.
Bernard and his wife shared a brief kiss.
In a statement, the UCI said Bernard’s behaviour was “inappropriate and has tarnished the image of the sport”.
Bernard later apologized.
“I’m sorry to the UCI for tarnishing the image of the sport,” Bernard wrote to X. “But I’m willing to pay 200 Swiss francs a day to relive this moment.”
Bernard later revealed in a television interview how much the moment meant to him.
“It’s been amazing,” Bernard said. “My wife has been organizing it for a few weeks now with some friends and she’s done a fantastic job.
“In a time trial, there’s time to have fun. It’s these moments that keep me going and keeping me going.”
