Tour de France 2026 stage 3 fines: sticky bottles, feeding breaches and yellow cards
The commissaires were busy after stage 3 of the Tour de France 2026, with fines issued for sticky bottles, feeding infringements, inappropriate behaviour and vehicle movement breaches during the 195.9km stage from Granollers to Les Angles.
In total, the jury handed out 3,900 CHF in fines, with four yellow cards also issued. The sanctions were confirmed in jury decision no. 3 following Monday’s stage.
Quick summary
| Incident type | People sanctioned | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Irregular feeding / sticky bottle | 4 | 1,400 CHF total |
| Feeding rule breaches / inappropriate behaviour | 3 | 1,000 CHF total, 1 yellow card |
| Vehicle movement breaches | 3 | 1,500 CHF total, 3 yellow cards |
| Total | 10 | 3,900 CHF, 4 yellow cards |
Sticky bottle fines for Hoole and Braz Afonso
Two riders were fined under article 2.12.007-4.11 for irregular feeding, specifically the familiar “sticky bottle” offence. This usually refers to a rider receiving a bottle from a team car or assistant and holding on for longer than permitted, gaining a short tow in the process.
The riders fined were:
| Rider | Team | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Daan Hoole | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | 200 CHF |
| Clément Braz Afonso | Groupama-FDJ United | 200 CHF |
Their sports directors were also fined more heavily for the same incident category.
| Sports director | Team | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Yvon Caer | Groupama-FDJ United | 500 CHF |
| Luke Rowe | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | 500 CHF |
That made the sticky bottle section alone worth 1,400 CHF in fines.
Feeding infringements bring more penalties
There were also sanctions under article 2.12.007-4.12, relating to non-compliance with article 2.3.025 by a team assistant during feeding.
Cofidis sports director Sébastien Hinault was fined 200 CHF for inappropriate behaviour.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe sports director Patxi Vila received three separate infringements, with a fine of 200 CHF for each infraction, bringing his total to 600 CHF.
| Person | Team | Reason | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sébastien Hinault | Cofidis | Inappropriate behaviour during feeding | 200 CHF |
| Patxi Vila | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | Three feeding-related infringements | 600 CHF |
Tudor Pro Cycling Team staff member Raphael Meyer was also fined 200 CHF and given a yellow card.
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Photo Credit: A.S.O./Thomas Maheux -
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Thomas Maheux
UAE sports director among those given yellow cards
The most serious-looking section of the communiqué concerned vehicle movements in the race convoy.
Under article 2.12.007-6.3, three people were fined for a breach of regulations or instructions concerning vehicle movements during the race, or for failing to comply with instructions from commissaires or the organisation.
Each received a 500 CHF fine and a yellow card.
| Person | Role / team | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Andrej Hauptman | UAE Team Emirates XRG sports director | 500 CHF, yellow card |
| Jean Antoine Ponce | TV motorbike pilot | 500 CHF, yellow card |
| Kurt Vandenborre | Photo motorbike pilot | 500 CHF, yellow card |
That part of the decision accounted for 1,500 CHF in fines and three of the four yellow cards issued after the stage.
No time penalties listed after stage 3
The commissaires’ decision did not list any sporting time penalties from these incidents. The sanctions were financial, with yellow cards added in the cases involving Raphael Meyer and the three vehicle movement breaches.
That matters because Tour de France 2026 stage 3 was already one of the first major stress points of the race, taking the peloton into the mountains early and forcing teams to manage positioning, feeding and convoy movements under pressure.
The main takeaway is that the jury took a firm line on race convoy conduct and feeding-zone behaviour on a demanding mountain stage into Les Angles. While sticky bottle fines are relatively routine in Grand Tours, the combination of team staff, sports directors and motorbike pilots being sanctioned gives the stage 3 communiqué a broader significance.
