"Riders’ Chests Suddenly Look Larger": 'Bra Pad' Controversy Emerges in Women's Cycling

Suspicion Over Use of Bra Pads to Manipulate Airflow
Attire Inspections Implemented Right Before the Start

From the 1st (local time) to the 9th, during the 2026 Tour de France Femmes held in Switzerland and France, a UAE team rider is smiling after completing Stage 2. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

At the "Tour de France Femmes," a premier event in women's road cycling, suspicions have emerged that some athletes inserted pads inside their racing suits to reduce air resistance. This controversy has become known as the "chest fairing" issue. So far, there has been no announcement that any specific athlete or team has violated regulations or received related disciplinary action, but as several teams have raised concerns, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has stepped up its inspection of racing attire.

In the premier stage of women's road cycling, the 'Tour de France Femmes,' allegations have arisen that some riders inserted pads inside their race suits to reduce air resistance. Photo by AFP and Yonhap News Agency

On August 4 (local time), foreign media outlets specializing in cycling, including Dutch site WielerFlits and Cyclingnews, reported that several women's WorldTour teams raised questions immediately after the start of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, pointing out that the chest areas of some riders appeared noticeably larger during the individual time trial compared to ordinary road races. They claimed that athletes were adding extra pads or materials inside their sports bras to artificially alter the shape of their chests in an attempt to gain an aerodynamic advantage. However, these reports did not disclose the names of the athletes or teams implicated, nor did they present any photographs or test results proving the use of pads.

No athletes have been caught so far... Research also shows "shape can increase air resistance"

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes is being held from August 1 to 9 across nine stages in Switzerland and France. The individual time trial at the center of the controversy took place on this day over a 21 km segment from Joubrechamps to Dijon, France. In individual time trials, riders start at regular intervals one by one, making it impossible to benefit from drafting (reducing drag by riding behind another cyclist) as in regular road races. As a result, aerodynamics—including riding posture, helmets, racing suits, and bicycles—has a significant influence on performance.

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes will take place over nine stages from August 1 to 9 in Switzerland and France. Photo by Reuters-Yonhap News

Chest fairing, which increases the volume of the chest, is one device that alters airflow in this context. Placing a rounded object at the front of the chest is believed to channel air flow to the outside of the body, directing it away from the abdomen, pelvis, and thighs. In relation to this, in 2024, aerodynamics experts led by Professor Bert Blocken at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland and LUT University in Finland published a paper analyzing the effects of chest fairing.

The research team compared the air resistance in simulations and wind tunnel tests with and without chest fairing devices, using seven different shapes. The most effective device reduced total air resistance by up to 3.6%, and the researchers estimated a time improvement of at least 0.78 seconds per kilometer.

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes will take place from August 1 to 9, spanning nine stages across Switzerland and France. The controversial individual time trial was held on this day over a 21 km section from Joux-la-Chapelle to Dijon in France. Reuters Yonhap News

As the controversy grew, UCI race officials issued an unusual special notice regarding attire prior to Stage 4's individual time trial. The notice stated that athletes were required to have their bicycles and apparel undergo a final inspection no later than ten minutes before their start time. In particular, officials emphasized strict enforcement of UCI Regulation 1.3.032, which prohibits any items such as clothing, helmets, glasses, shoes, or communications equipment that could alter the contours of an athlete's body during competition.

If banned clothing or equipment is found in violation of the regulations, riders may be subject to disqualification as well as fines. Some teams have even reportedly suggested having female officials conduct internal inspections of racing suits in separate areas with privacy partitions. The difficulty lies in the fact that the thickness, shape, support, and compression level of pads in sports bras vary by product. Consequently, undergarment choices may differ based on each athlete's physique and physical needs.

It is also difficult to distinguish between pads in normal sports bras and artificial inserts added for aerodynamic reasons during inspections. Moreover, there is concern that excessively invasive body checks could infringe on the privacy and rights of female athletes. There are questions about whether it is appropriate to regulate naturally occurring physical differences and personal choices regarding undergarments so uniformly under race rules.

From "chest fairing" to "penis gate"... Ongoing controversy over altering body shape for better records

This is not the first time attempts to adjust airflow by altering body shape have sparked controversy in the cycling world. At the 2025 World Championships in Rwanda, some Belgian athletes were reported to have positioned the usual radio pouches—normally worn on the back—on the chest instead. There were also cases where riders put water bottles inside the front of their suits while racing, but at the time, no specific sanctions were reportedly imposed.

Ski jump suits serve a function similar to wings during flight. The larger the surface area of the suit, the more lift it can generate, potentially increasing airtime and flight distance. EPA Yonhap News

A similar debate erupted in ski jumping at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics this past February. Germany’s mass-circulation daily Bild reported suspicions that some male ski jumpers injected hyaluronic acid or used condom-shaped inserts in their genitals during suit measurements to be allocated larger racing suits.

Ski jump suits serve a function similar to wings during flight. The larger the surface area of the suit, the more lift is generated, potentially increasing airtime and jumping distance.

When measuring an athlete’s body, if the reference point for the crotch is set lower than its actual position, the athlete may be assigned a longer and wider suit. Artificially increasing the volume of the genitals or groin could lower this reference point—a scenario that came to be known as "penis gate." Related studies have shown that even a slight difference in suit size can affect jumping distance. Citing a computer modeling study, Reuters reported that an extra centimeter of material could increase flight distance by approximately 2.8 meters.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.