Riders at the Tour de France Femmes will face additional clothing checks before Tuesday’s stage, following claims some competitors could be using extra padding in their bras for an aerodynamic advantage.
Race organisers confirmed the inspections via a communique, after Dutch outlet Wielerflits reported teams had raised concerns about padded bras smoothing airflow during the stage four time trial.
The communique stated: “Riders must be to the final checks before the race (bikes and outfit) no later than 10 minutes before their respective start time.”
It added: “Particular attention will be paid to compliance with article 1.3.032 of the UCI regulations, including non-essential elements and clothing or other items/accessories worn by a rider (including but not limited to helmets, glasses, shoes or in-race communication devices) which could modify riders’ morphology.”
The UCI defines non-essential elements as “any element which does not have a purpose which is exclusively of clothing or protection, or which is not strictly necessary for the functionality of the clothing, or other item, or accessory”.
Tuesday’s time trial is a 21km rolling test between Gevrey-Chambertin and Dijon.
Uno-X Mobility rider Sigrid Haugset holds the yellow jersey after her stage three victory on Monday.
The women’s race is currently ongoing after Tadej Pogacar claimed his fifth title in the men’s Tour de France last month.
The Slovenian rider stormed to victory that put him level with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain as the only men to win five titles.
Reflecting on his win following the final stage, Pogacar said: “It was an amazing day. I’m speechless. An incredible day, incredible atmosphere and I’m happy that it’s over and we won for the fifth time.
“Every victory is really special. Seven Tours already and seven times on the podium, five wins, it’s something that you wouldn’t even maybe write in a storybook and it’s just unbelievable for me.”
He has since announced that he will ride Vuelta a Espana for the first time in seven years.
Having won the Giro d’Italia in 2024, a Vuelta triumph would make Pogacar the ninth male rider to win the general classification at all three of cycling’s three-week races.
