The Tour de France Femmes race jury will pay particular attention to rider clothing ahead of todays stage four time trial, following reports that riders may be using additional bra padding to gain an aerodynamic advantage.On Sunday evening WielerFlits reported that several teams were concerned that riders are wearing oversized bras with extra padding to save watts.According to the Dutch publication, the teams had urged the UCI to enforce its rules around non-essential equipment that modifies a riders morphology.Extra measures ahead of stage fourIt appears the UCI has taken heed of these concerns and issued a communique after yesterdays stage three.Riders must be to the final checks before the race (bikes and outfit) no later than 10 minutes before their respective start time, the statement read. Particular attention will be paid to compliance with article 1.3.032 of the UCI regulations, including nonessential elements and clothing or other items/accessories worn by a rider (including but not limited to helmets, glasses, shoes or in-race communication devices) which could modify riders morphology.If a rider is found to be using non-essential clothing, they can face disqualification and a fine of 50-200 CHF (46-184/ $62-248).WielerFlits suggested riders at the Tour de France Femmes could be checked in private by a female jury member. But it is unclear how the race jury will implement its checks ahead of todays 21km time trial through the Cte d'Or.Koen de Kort, Lidl Treks head of technical and innovation, told The Athletic that the team had found differences between push-up bras and sports bras.The problem is how are you going to police it? De Kort said. Thats the biggest issue. You can say its not allowed (but) how can you say how much a woman needs? Thats time to get pretty much into a gray area of what youre allowed to check.An aerodynamic advantageIncreased volume around the chest area can act as a chest fairing for men and women.Research suggests that chest fairings provide an aerodynamic advantage. A 2024 study found that the largest chest fairings give a 3.6% drag reduction and save at least 0.78 seconds per kilometre. It added that a chest fairing can decide who wins or loses a time trial.The study said chest fairings have been used in competition, a claim that Wielerflits also made.While a specific communique around chest fairings is unusual, the UCI has recently taken measures to prevent riders from tweaking their body shape.In June, cyclings governing body adjusted its rules to prohibit jerseys with front pockets. It said that nutritional products in these pockets are extremely difficult to access during a race but that they result in significant alterations to the riders body shape.At the mens Tour de France, the UCI also prohibited the use of ice socks on the stage one time trial because of how they change a riders morphology. Some queried this measure due to the extreme heat at the race.