How can we distinguish fold and cycle of sedimentation on a remote sensing image or in the field?
You need to take a look at lithology changes and stratification.
On a fold the stratification is parallel to the fold, while on a transgressive-regressive cycle it crosses the v form.

Source: Own work with Inkscape.
At the field the best is to look up to lithology changes and define how is stratification spatially related with the main shape.
You can easily distinguish stratification on a 2D log. From a remote sensing image it would be distinguishable if you have an outcrop that crosses the shape.