Kaden Groves became one of the first riders sanctioned under the UCI’s new early celebration rule on Sunday, after he fist pumped the air in elation at Jasper Philipsen’s victory at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was fined 500CHF (£439), relegated to 57th place, and given a yellow card for posting up mid-bunch in his saddle and celebrating his teammate’s win. He originally crossed the line in 10th.
The new UCI rule, which came into effect at the start of the year, seeks to clamp down on riders “decelerating during a sprint and endangering other riders”.
Within the regulation, the governing body specifically cites certain movements as punishable, including: “knowingly staying within the line of other riders, celebrating in the bunch, talking on the radio or taking hands off handlebars while in the bunch”.
Groves received the maximum fine of 500CHF for his celebration, with sanctions starting at 100CHF (£88) for one-day races. Fines are judged depending on the level of the race and the severity of the offence.
The new rule comes as part of a wave of safety regulations put in place by the UCI in a bid to make road racing safer. Among them is also the introduction of a yellow card system, whereby riders risk suspensions for collecting multiple yellow cards.
Groves’s yellow card from Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is his first, meaning he will not face a ban. As per the rules, any rider who collects three yellow cards within 30 days will receive a 14-day suspension. Six yellow cards within a year carry a 30-day suspension.
Other new rules introduced include restrictions on the use of earpieces during races, and an increase of the 3km sprint rule to 5km – meaning riders caught up in incidents within 5km of the finish line on a sprint stage are credited with the same time of their group.
“The safety of riders, as well as people in the race convoy and on the roadside, is a priority for the UCI,” said UCI president David Lappartient previously.
“We have to acknowledge that the number of incidents and injuries continue to rise. Several factors have contributed to this unfortunate trend, including the rapid expansion of road furniture designed to control vehicle speeds, particularly in urban areas, as well as the increased speed of today’s peloton.”
