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British TT champion Ethan Hayter flipped a very costly middle finger at Tirreno-Adriatico on Monday.
Hayter was slapped with a 500 Swiss Franc ($645) fine and docked 25 UCI points by race officials for what was described as “inappropriate behaviour.”
The 27-year-old was caught flashing a middle finger toward a passing TV moto while he rocketed at 54kph through Monday’s pan-flat opening time trial of the Italian tour.
He ultimately finished 8th on the day, 32 seconds back on stage-winner Filippo Ganna.
Neither Hayter nor his Soudal Quick-Step team have provided any comment on the incident.
Hayter’s mistimed middle finger came just days after a far more controversial incident in the Dutch Salverda Bouw Ster van Zwolle race.
NSN devo rider Kiaan Watts was disqualified by UCI commissaires and sidelined by his NSN development team after he bashed a rival over the head in the final of Saturday’s race.
Tirreno-Adriatico continues through this week, headlined by Primož Roglič, Matteo Jorgenson, Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, and Isaac del Toro.
They’ll presumably be keeping their middle fingers to themselves.
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