Lidl-Trek’s sunglasses supplier, 100%, has pledged to cover the fine received by Giulio Ciccone for his eyewear-toss victory celebration.
The Italian was fined 250 Swiss Francs (£228 / $304) and docked 15 UCI points for throwing his sunglasses into the crowd when he won stage one of the Tour of the Alps on Monday.
The gesture has long been a trademark celebration of Ciccone’s, dating back to at least 2019. This is the first time he has been penalised for doing it.
After Monday’s stage, UCI officials judged the Lidl-Trek rider guilty of “disposing of other objects in a careless manner in the finish”, in line with rule 2.12.007 part 8.3, which refers to “disposing of waste or other objects in a careless or dangerous manner”.
Given the Tour of the Alps is not a WorldTour race, Ciccone’s fine was capped at 250 Swiss Francs, a charge eyewear brand 100% said they would front.
“This one’s on us, Lidl-Trek,” 100% wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “Never stop celebrating, Giulio Ciccone.”
The Italian’s victory at the Tour of the Alps brought his first win in almost two years, and the 11th of his professional career.
Speaking afterwards, he told Wielerflits that he thought the sunglasses-tossing fine was “ridiculous”.
“But I accept the fine,” he continued. “In the end, it’s hard to say something because something changes in the rules every year. My mistake was to not study the rules, and now I know.
“It’s always strange to receive a fine when you win the race. I don’t agree, honestly, but it’s like this. We can do nothing.”
The first instance of Ciccone’s now trademark celebration came at the Giro d’Italia in 2019, where he won stage 16. “When I saw the finish line, I let all my anger out. The throw of the Koo glasses was born like this – an instinctive gesture, a liberation,” he is reported to have later said.
Should Ciccone win another stage of this week's Tour of the Alps, and repeat the celebration, he is likely to receive an even harsher fine of 500 Swiss Francs, and risk disqualification from the race.
The full wording of the relevant UCI rule, introduced in 2021, reads: “Rider or team staff disposing of waste or other objects outside of litter zones, or not returned to team or organisation staff, not collected by team staff, thrown at a spectator. Disposing of waste or other objects in a careless or dangerous manner (e.g. bottle or other object remaining or bouncing back on the road, thrown directly or with excessive force at spectator, causing dangerous manoeuvre by other rider or vehicle, causing spectator to move onto the road)."
