Competitors expelled from Tour de Guadeloupe after secretly rejoining main racing group - Visual Recording
Disqualification, Fines, and UCI Ranking Penalties for Cheating in the 2025 Tour de Guadeloupe
The 2025 Tour de Guadeloupe, a cycling event held in the French overseas region in the Caribbean, has seen its fair share of controversy. Tenniglo Niels and Huub Van Kapel, riders from the RC Jan Van Arckel club team, were disqualified from the race after stage 2.
The disqualification was due to a shortcut taken by the two Dutch cyclists, who were caught sneaking back into the peloton in the final 40km of the stage. Video evidence widely circulated on social media showed them hiding behind a car after crashes and punctures, then rejoining the race without completing the full course.
The consequences for this act of cheating were immediate and severe. The riders were expelled from the event, fined 100 Swiss Francs, and had 20 points deducted from their UCI ranking. However, they have yet to react to the disqualification.
Frederic Theobald, the president of the Guadeloupe Islands Regional Cycling Committee, strongly condemned the conduct as dangerous and contrary to the principles of cycling. He also indicated that other riders were caught cheating by drafting behind cars, leading to more penalties.
This case underscores the strict enforcement at the Tour de Guadeloupe, with serious sanctions levied against riders who gain unfair advantages by breaking race rules. The race attracts French teams as well as Continental and club teams, and Theobald warned of further sanctions for riders caught cheating.
The Tour de Guadeloupe is currently in progress, with the incident serving as a reminder of the zero-tolerance stance on cheating such as shortcuts and drafting behind vehicles. The race organizers and jury are committed to ensuring safety and fairness in the competition.
[1] Local Media Report [2] L'Equipe France Report [3] Cycling News Report [4] VeloNews Report [5] Procycling Report
Sports reports from various media outlets are covering the controversy at the 2025 Tour de Guadeloupe, a cycling event in the Caribbean. Tenniglo Niels and Huub Van Kapel, riders from the RC Jan Van Arckel club team, were disqualified from the race due to a shortcut, resulting in fines and UCI ranking penalties.
