The team’s director Samsom Ghebreyesus was fined 1,000 CHF (~$1,200 USD) for the same offense. It’s unclear why he received a larger fine and if he was being fined for allowing riders to take the start line in different kit or for also wearing incorrect national team clothing.
The third Eritrea national team member to take the start line, Merhawi Kudus, was not fined for his team kit.
In total that’s $2,400 in fines across the squad for wearing incorrect team kit, likely more than the cost of buying three new matching custom kits for the whole team.
All three members of the team took to the start line in slightly different looking team kits, with Kudus and Mulueberhan wearing what appears to be the same jersey but different bib shorts, and Girmay wearing a different jersey and different bibs altogether from his two teammates.
Although Kudus was not fined, he did not appear to be wearing national team bib shorts, instead wearing the black ones supplied by his trade team.
They weren’t the only riders fined in the men’s elite race, however. Remco Evenepoel was also assessed a 500 CHF fine and 25 UCI points for disposing of waste or other objects outside of the litter zones. Guatemala’s Manuel Rodas was fined 1,000 CHF, 25 UCI points, and assessed a yellow card for using a non-compliant position or point of support on the bicycle—the same violation committed by Demi Vollering in her win Saturday.
