Fines and time penalties Vuelta a España 2023 | Surprisingly few penalties and fines in three weeks of racing

Discarding trash, prohibited positions on the bike, adhesive bottles, or even a forceful shoulder maneuver in the lead-up to a bunch sprint – a myriad of situations can arise during a race. In the grand theater of a cycling spectacle like the Vuelta a España, the stakes are elevated, and the riders' nerves are on edge. In IDLProCycling.com, we meticulously track those who cross the line during the stages and outline the penalties associated with their infractions.

Riders can incur penalties from race officials for various reasons. A frequent offense involves discarding food and water bottles. Designated zones are allocated on the course for this purpose. If a rider, nonetheless, discards their waste outside these specified areas, they might be subject to fines. Furthermore, fines are often imposed for clutching onto a sticky water bottle. By allowing the team car to propel them forward while relinquishing a bottle, the rider conserves energy. Additionally, riders must now pay heed to their riding posture. For instance, adopting a time trial position (resting wrists over the middle of the handlebars) during a regular stage or utilizing the "super-tuck" stance (perching on the top tube while descending) has been prohibited since last year.

Fines are not the sole form of punishment that the race jury can impose; they also have the authority to mete out time penalties or deduct points from side classifications like the points classification or mountain jersey. Moreover, a rider's UCI ranking points are not exempt from jeopardy in the event of serious or repeated violations. Thus, the severity of the offense or its recurrence within a stage corresponds to the weightiness of the penalty, with disqualification standing as the ultimate consequence.

Fines and time penalties Vuelta a España 2023

Stage 21 - Sunday, September 17, 2023: Hipódromo de la Zarzuela - Madrid (101.5 km)

The jury wasn't too busy this Vuelta. Even on the final day, the jury report remained empty.

Stage 20 - Saturday, September 16, 2023: Manzanares El Real - Guarrama (207.8 km)

Just like the day before, it was not a busy day for the race jury. They could keep their fine book in their pocket once again. However, the usual bike checks for technological fraud were carried out, and once again, the inspectors found nothing.

Stage 19 - Friday, September 15, 2023: La Bañeza - Íscar (177.1 km)

In the sprint stage to Íscar, the jury did not issue any fines. However, 47 bikes were selected for a check on technological fraud. Eight bikes were examined using X-rays. The checks revealed no irregularities.

Stage 18 - Thursday, September 14, 2023: Pola de Allande - La Cruz de Linares (178.9 km)

The eighteenth stage of the Vuelta was the last mountain stage, in which the jury handed out three fines. Fabio Felline (Astana Qazaqstan Team) and an unidentified rider from Lotto-Dstny were fined 500 Swiss francs for discarding a bidon in a prohibited area, while Julius Johansen (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) has to pay 200 Swiss francs for urinating in a place where it was not allowed.

Stage 17 - Wednesday, September 13, 2023: Ribadesella/Ribeseya - Alto de L'Angliru (124,4 km)

The stage to Alto de l'Angliru was completed at a blistering pace. Stage winner Primoz Roglic reached the summit of Angliru about twenty minutes before the expected finish time, and in the early stages of the race, there was a flurry of attacks. Finding a good moment to urinate is not always easy under these circumstances. Maurice Ballerstedt (Alpecin-Deceuninck) experienced this firsthand. The German urinated in a public place, resulting in a 200 Swiss Franc fine for inappropriate behavior.

Stage 16 - Tuesday, September 12, 2023: Liencres Playa - Bejes (120.1 km)

The short stage of about 120 kilometers was raced at a lightning pace, leaving little time for infractions. However, the race jury issued three fines. Team director Tomás Gil was fined 1000 Swiss francs for improper parking. Lylian Lebreton of TotalEnergies received a more lenient penalty of half that amount. Rui Costa (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) was fined 200 Swiss francs for inappropriate behavior. The Portuguese rider urinated in the presence of the public.

Stage 15 - Sunday, September 10, 2023: Pamplona - Lekunberri (158,3 km)

Fines were again handed out in the fifteenth stage for discarding trash outside the permitted zone. Rider Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Dstny) and team leader Frederik Willems (Alpecin-Deceuninck) were both fined 500 Swiss Francs for this. Kenny Elissonde was also fined. The Lidl-Trek rider must pay 200 Swiss Francs for stopping to urinate in an inappropriate place.

Stage 14 - Saturday, September 9, 2023: Sauveterre-de-Béarn - Larra Belagua (156.2 km)

The jury report for the fourteenth stage focused on littering, specifically disposing of waste outside the designated areas. Riders Enric Mas, Michael Storer, and Rubén Fernández committed the infraction and were each fined 500 Swiss Francs. They also each received a 25-point deduction on their UCI Ranking. BORA-hansgrohe's team director Bernhard Eisel was fined 500 Swiss Francs for the same offense. In his case, it was not clear which of his riders was responsible.

Stage 13 - Thursday, September 8, 2023: Formigal - Col du Tourmalet (134.7 km) 

The riders conducted themselves excellently in the Pyrenees during the thirteenth stage. Only team managers Christian Guiberteau (DSM-firmenich) and Ken Vanmarcke (EF Education-EasyPost) have been fined for 'damaging the image of the sport,' according to the statement from the organization.

Stage 12 - Wednesday, September 7, 2023: Olvega - Zaragoza (150.6 km)

One rider did not behave properly on Wednesday, but it is not clear who. The race jury couldn't determine which rider from Intermarché-Circus-Wanty disposed of waste in a prohibited area and therefore team manager Pieter Vanspeybrouck was put on the naughty list. He has to cough up 500 Swiss francs.

Stage 11 - Tuesday, September 6, 2023: Lerma - La Laguna Negra.Vinuesa (163.2 km)

No fines were issued in the eleventh stage either. However, a result has been corrected. In the ninth stage, Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-Quick Step) appeared to have lost over sixteen minutes. This has been corrected to a deficit of 7.05 minutes, a difference of just over nine minutes.

Stage 10 - Tuesday, September 5, 2023: Valladolid - Valladolid (25.8 km, time trial)

There is usually no reason for it in a time trial, and that proved to be the case. No fines and/or warnings in the jury report after the tenth stage.

Stage 9 - Sunday, September 3, 2023: Cartagena - Collado de la Cruz de Caravaca (184.5 km)

After a day without fines, penalties were handed out on Sunday, particularly to the smaller Spanish teams. Burgos-BH drew the most ire from the jury. Team leader Daniel Navarro and his sports director David Cantera were fined a sticky bottle situation, costing each of them 200 Swiss francs. Cantera received an additional fine of 500 Swiss francs for ignoring instructions from the organizers. He is also excluded from the eleventh stage, the first road stage after the rest day.

Caja Rujal-Seguros RGA also faced penalties. Similar to the situation with Burgos-BH, it involved a bit too much collaboration between a rider and a sports director. The rider, Golzari Barrenetxea, was fined 200 Swiss francs for drafting behind a team car. In addition, he received a time penalty and point deductions in various secondary classifications. The team's director, Rubén Martínez, was also fined 500 Swiss francs. Lastly, 39 bikes were checked for mechanical fraud; all met the regulations.

Stage 8 - Saturday, September 2, 2023: Dénia - Xorret de Catí. Costa Blanca Interior (165.0 km)

The jury didn't blacklist anyone on day eight of the Vuelta.

Stage 7 - Friday, September 1, 2023: Utiel - Oliva (200.8 km)

In the seventh stage, fines have been issued. Team directors of Astana Qazaqstan (Alexandr Shefer) and Burgos-BH (Ruben Perez) have both received a fine of 500 Swiss Francs. In both cases, a rider from the team, who was not identified by the race jury, discarded waste outside the designated areas.

Additionally, Julius Johansen (Intermarché) and Jon Barrenetxea (Caja Rural) have been fined. The two behaved poorly during the stage by urinating at an inappropriate time. Both gentlemen will have to cough up 200 Swiss Francs.

Stage 6 - Thursday, August 31, 2023: Vall d'Uixo - Javalambre (181.3 km)

The sixth stage also did not result in any fines.

Stage 5 - Wednesday, August 30, 2023: Morella - Burriana (186.2 km)

Everyone behaved impeccably during the fifth stage of La Vuelta. The organization did not issue any fines.

Stage 4 - Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023: Andorra la Vella - Tarragona (184.6 km)

In the fourth stage, the focus of the jury report shifted from the riders to those in the follow cars. Team leaders Neil Stephens (Bahrain Victorious) and Gorka Guerricagoika (Cofidis) ignored a jury instruction to hold back. This instruction is called "barrage," where the jury prompts the followers to move aside, for instance, when multiple groups are present, preventing riders from returning in their slipstream. Both were fined 500 Swiss francs.

Team manager Manuele Mori of UAE Team Emirates also incurred a fine for performing a prohibited maneuver with his vehicle. Like his two colleagues, he was subjected to a fine of 500 Swiss francs.

Stage 3 - Monday, Aug. 28, 2023: Súria - Arinsal (158.5 km)

José Manuel Diaz (Burgos-BH) took advantage of the draft created by a following car on multiple occasions and was penalized accordingly. The Spaniard received a fine of 200 Swiss francs. He also faced a 20-second time penalty and deductions in both the points and mountain classification.

Steve Cummings (team manager of INEOS Grenadiers) was fined because one of his riders discarded garbage outside the designated zone. The identity of the rider involved remained undisclosed, leading to the 500 Swiss francs fine for Cummings. Furthermore, forty bikes were subjected to checks for mechanical fraud, all of which adhered to the UCI's stipulations.

Stage 2 - Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023: Mataró - Barcelona (181.8 km)

Despite the second stage being notably chaotic, there were no violations reported—quite a contrast. Two days and no fines so far. A grand tour hasn't started like this before. The jury report affirmed the decision to record times nine kilometers before the finish due to adverse weather conditions.

Nevertheless, bonus seconds were allocated at the conclusion, although the judges encountered some challenges in this regard. In the ongoing fight against technological fraud, 39 bikes underwent testing, revealing no suspicious findings.

Stage 1 - Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023: Barcelona - Barcelona (14.8 km, team time trial) 

João Almeida did manage to send the jury a bouquet of flowers following the team time trial. The Portuguese rider, who jointly holds the team leadership with Juan Ayuso at UAE Team Emirates, suffered a puncture in the final kilometer. However, the jury displayed leniency and granted Almeida the same time as the first riders of his team. A similar ruling applied to Hugo Hofstetter of Arkéa-Samsic. For the sprinter, this adjustment is unlikely to impact him significantly, as pursuing a high General Classification is certainly not one of his ambitions. Moreover, the UCI also conducted tests on several bikes to detect any instances of mechanical fraud, yet the examinations revealed no signs of irregularities.