Kaden Groves was sanctioned on Sunday for violating the UCI’s new early celebration rule after he celebrated teammate Jasper Philipsen’s victory at the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne race. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was fined 500CHF (£439), relegated to 57th place, and received a yellow card for raising his fist in celebration mid-bunch, despite crossing the finish line in 10th place.
The incident marked one of the first instances of a rider being penalized under the UCI’s new regulation, which came into effect at the start of the year. The rule aims to reduce the risk of accidents by preventing riders from “decelerating during a sprint and endangering other riders.” Specifically, it forbids actions like “celebrating in the bunch,” “talking on the radio,” or “taking hands off handlebars while in the bunch.”
Groves was handed the maximum fine of 500CHF for his actions. Fines for violations in one-day races start at 100CHF (£88), with the severity of the penalty depending on the level of the race and the nature of the infraction.
The new rule is part of a series of safety measures introduced by the UCI to make road racing safer. These include a yellow card system, where riders can face suspensions for accumulating multiple yellow cards. Groves’s yellow card at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is his first, meaning he will not face a ban. However, riders who collect three yellow cards within 30 days face a 14-day suspension, and six yellow cards within a year result in a 30-day suspension.
Other new regulations include restrictions on earpiece usage during races and an expansion of the 3km sprint rule to 5km. This means that riders involved in incidents within 5km of the finish line on sprint stages will be given the same time as their group.
UCI president David Lappartient emphasized the importance of rider safety, stating, “The safety of riders, as well as people in the race convoy and on the roadside, is a priority for the UCI. The number of incidents and injuries continue to rise, driven by factors such as the growth of road furniture in urban areas and the increasing speed of today’s peloton.”
Related topics
- Lotte Claes Wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
- Young Riders Face Challenging Debuts at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
- Geraint Thomas’ Drive: How Inner Demons Keep Him Racing