Why the UCI Fined Pogačar $5K, Then Rescinded It

Cycling’s biggest mystery after Tadej Pogačar blew away everyone at Liège-Bastogne-Liège?

It wasn’t why the world No. 1 was wearing a black armband or what power he and Paul Seixas were crushing up La Redoute.

No, it was why the UCI slapped a 5,000 Swiss franc penalty on the world champion, a fine that was buried deep in the post-race communiqué.

Pogačar was initially hit with a 5,000 CHF fine, roughly $5,500, for what officials described as the “incorrect placement of advertising on the rainbow jersey during the award ceremony.”

Any four-figure fine is a lot for a UCI sanction, a sum typically reserved for the most serious offenses, so that number caught everyone’s attention after La Doyenne.

The UCI, along with enforcing cycling’s sometimes byzantine rulebook, jealously guards its branded rainbow jersey.

Hours after issuing the fine, however, the UCI just as quickly removed it.

“FineGate” quickly blew up because when the jury report flags an infraction, it often cites the specific rule, but doesn’t provide any details.

So everyone was scrambling for clues.

According to Sporza, the culprit turned out to be UAE’s partnership deal with Swiss watchmakers Richard Mille, whose logo appeared on the sleeves of his rainbow jersey near the wrists during the podium ceremony.

A watch for the 1 percenters

Richard Mille is the ultra-exclusive watch brand where some models can run up to $2,000,000, and they’re worn by cycling superstars Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel, and Julian Alaphilippe.

Mark Cavendish even had his house broken into by armed bandits who were trying to get their hands on a stash of Richard Mille timepieces kept by the now-retired Manxster in what was a traumatic experience for his family.

So when cycling’s biggest star and one of the world’s most expensive watches was involved, this wasn’t your average sock-height violation.

According to Sporza, UCI jury initially ruled the logo placement ran afoul with rules on what can be displayed on the world champion’s jersey.

It turns out the rules had been relaxed a few weeks before, so the official on duty quietly removed the fine a few hours later.

Pogačar’s Richard Mille — likely an RM 67-02 — can retail for upwards of $350,000, making the briefly imposed 5,000CHF fine feel almost shambolic.

Pogačar and UAE Emirates-XRG walked away without paying a Swiss cent.

In the end, all the botched fine did was give the luxury watch brand far more than 5,000CHF worth of free publicity for all the ink spilled over the past 36 hours.