Jumbo-Visma and Team Ineos facing fines for missing Bretagne Classic 

There were two big teams missing from the Bretagne Classic this week, as both Team Ineos and Jumbo-Visma opted to skip the French one-day race. 

Jumbo and Ineos, the two favourite teams to win the yellow jersey in the 2020 Tour de France, were both absent from the WorldTour ranked race on Wednesday (August 25), which was won by Sunweb’s Michael Matthews.

The squads are both now expecting fines for their absences, with reports from French media suggesting that the teams would be fined €50,000 (£44,000) for missing the race which, as a WorldTour event, is mandatory for all WorldTour teams to compete.  

Both Jumbo-Visma and Team Ineos have confirmed they are expecting fines but that the numbers will not be anywhere near the €50,000 figure.

The teams would not say how much they expect to be fined, but the UCI regulations do give some indication.

Rule 2.15.127 in the UCI’s regulations on road racing says: “The UCI WorldTeam must take part with a team of competitive riders in UCI WorldTour events.”

Events that were registered on the 2016 edition of the UCI WorldTour calendar, which includes the Bretagne Classic, are mandatory, while any WorldTour events introduced since then are raced on a voluntary basis. 

The next rule in the regulations says: “In the event of unjustified absence, withdrawal or giving up, the UCI WorldTeam shall be liable to a fine of between 10,000 and 20,000 Swiss Francs.”

These rules suggest the teams are likely to be fined between £8,000 and £16,000, rather than £44,000. 

Team Ineos opted not to take part in the event as a coronavirus precaution for riders and staff, ahead of their main goal of the year the Tour de France, which starts on Saturday (August 29). 

Jumbo-visma said they had pressure on their staffing levels which meant they had to skip the race.

Teams are stretched very thin during the 2020 season, as the UCI has tried to fit all major races into just four months between August and November to make up for the lack of racing earlier in the year.

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All UCI races were suspended in March due to coronavirus, with competition only returning in late July.