The dubious honor of Oscar Riesebeek, the first cyclist sanctioned by yellow cards

Oscar Riesebeek has become a cycling legend, though not because of a Grand Prix win or any other notable sporting achievement. The Dutch rider will forever have the dubious honor of being the first to receive a penalty for accumulating yellow cards in a single race, as stipulated by the International Cycling Union (UCI) rules starting this year.

In an effort to improve cyclist safety, the international governing body introduced new regulations that, among other innovations, established a yellow card system—similar to other sports—to punish inappropriate behavior or non-compliance with the rules . After a trial period in 2024, the regulations came into effect for the 2025 season, and for the first time, they have included a penalty for issuing these cards.

Rule 2.12.007 states that "if a license holder receives two yellow cards during the same event, they will be excluded from the event and suspended for a period of seven days." And that's precisely what happened to Riesebeek , who will miss none other than his country's national championships, which will also be held in his hometown of Ede.

The sanction against the Dutch cyclist from the Alpecin-Deceuninck team comes after he received two warnings during the Boloise Belgium Tour , one on the second stage and another on the fifth. Both warnings were for the same behavior: using "sidewalks, paths, or cycle paths that are not part of the race route."

During the maneuver that led to the second yellow card and the sanction, Oscar Riesebeek ended up on the ground , fortunately with no further damage except for a few scratches. Perhaps that's why the Dutch cyclist recognized the danger of his actions and accepted the sanction willingly.

Riesebeek caused his own crash by trying to break into the front of the pack through a non-existent gap after gaining ground on a bike lane . In a statement released by his team, the Dutchman acknowledged his responsibility: "I accept the consequences of my actions. Of course, it's disappointing to miss the Nationals, but looking back, I realize that my behavior during the race was not only incorrect, but also put other riders at risk."

Although he's not the first to repeat a yellow card, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider is the first to receive one in the same race and be penalized for it. A measure the rest of the peloton will undoubtedly have taken note of.