French cyclist Julien Bernard would do it again, knowing the sport’s governing body would fine him. He’d stop on the race course to kiss his wife and young son like he did last Friday on Stage 7 of the Tour de France.
And this was no spontaneous smooch. He and his wife planned it from the start of the time trial — where cyclists race against the clock for the fastest time.
“It was really incredible. My wife has been organizing this with some friends for a few weeks now and she did a really, really good job,” Bernard said, per BBC. “On a time trial, you have time to enjoy yourself. It’s these moments that keep me going and cycling.”
A fine kiss
While the special moment delighted thousands of fans lining the road between Nuits-Saint-Georges and Gevrey Chambertin in eastern France, the International Cycling Union wasn’t amused. The body fined Bernard 200 Swiss francs ($231) for “unseemly or inappropriate behavior during the race and damage to the image of sport.” But Outside magazine reported that sources said the citation was in part because Bernard briefly stopped during the stage to visit family.
He apologized to the International Cycling Union on social media for “having damaged the image of sport” but said he was willing to pay the fine “every day and relive this moment.”
Bernard, 32, who rides for Lidl-Trek, told ITV he pushed hard early in the short 14.5-mile stage so he would have enough time to share a few seconds with his wife and 2-year-old son.
“I knew my wife and my friends did something on the climb, and I was looking forward to seeing them,” Bernard told ITV. “I wanted to enjoy every second on this climb and I started quite fast the TT, and I wanted to enjoy everyone second with my friends and family. It was dream moment for me.”
Bernard lives and trains in the region, and hit the climb midway through the course, waving to the fans and doing high-fives with family and friends on the route, Outside reported. He finished 61st among the 174 riders on the stage, 3 minutes, 11 seconds behind the winner. After nine stages of the 2,175-mile race, Bernard, riding his fourth Tour de France, sits 32nd overall, 20 minutes, 41 seconds behind leader Tadej Pogačar.
Memorable sports kisses
Athletes kissing spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, teammates or even opponents isn’t unusual in sports. But it typically doesn’t happen during competition. Sports Illustrated a few years ago ran a list of memorable sports kisses going back decades. Most — not all — were celebratory after winning a championship or reaching a milestone.
- Stan Musial kissed his wife Lillian in the stands after getting his 3,000th hit in 1958.
- Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas shook hands and gave each other a peck on the cheek before a Lakers-Pistons game at the Forum in Los Angeles in 1989.
- Ian Johnson kissed his fiancée, cheerleader Chrissy Popadics, after proposing to her following Boise State’s Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma in 2007.
- Kobe Bryant kissed his wife Vanessa after his final NBA game between the Lakers and Utah Jazz at Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2016.
- Dustin Johnson kissed his wife Paulina Gretzky after winning the U.S. Open at the Oakmont Country Club in 2016.
One more recent unwanted kiss on the soccer pitch led to an indictment of Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s soccer federation.
Following the women’s World Cup win over England in 2023, Rubiales kissed midfielder Jennifer Hermoso on the lips. Hermoso says she did not give permission for him to kiss her and felt violated by the act. Rubiales was charged with one count of sexual assault and one of coercion for his alleged actions. Spanish prosecutors requested a 2 1/2-year prison sentence in March.
In 2018, American figure skaters Chris Knierim and Alexa Scimeca Knierim shared a passionate kiss on the ice after their Valentine’s Day performance at the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The married couple won a bronze medal in the figure skating team event.
Kiss and cry room
Of course, kissing — and crying — is part of figure skating, hence the “kiss and cry” room.
The room is a designated area in figure skating competitions where skaters and coaches await the judges’ scores after performing their routines. It’s called “kiss and cry” because they often show a range of emotions — they may kiss and celebrate if they’re pleased with their performance and scores or cry if they are disappointed. Located close to the rink, it is typically a small, visible area with comfortable seating that is often adorned with sponsors’ logos.
A Finnish figure skating official named Jane Erkko reportedly coined the term “kiss and cry” during the 1983 World Championships. It has become a staple of figure skating broadcasts as cameras focus on the area to capture the often-emotional reactions of skaters and coaches.