Giro, Stage 9???

[Onno]

So why are they riding so slowly? From what I've seen, it doesn't look like an especially dangerous course. Are the riders protesting the danger of past and future stages, or this one? If I were a spectator in Milan, I'd be seriously disappointed.

[Elefantino]

Too many turns for the peleton. Stage has been neutralized. No bonuses, no times.

I have friends who are there. They are not disappointed. Twittering that it is cool.

[Onno]

Too many turns? It's a crit. They look relatively gentle to me. There's got to be something else going on here.

[rwsaunders]

So why are they riding so slowly? From what I've seen, it doesn't look like an especially dangerous course. Are the riders protesting the danger of past and future stages, or this one? If I were a spectator in Milan, I'd be seriously disappointed.

According to this video interview from Horner on Saturday, the riders are concerned about safety.

http://www.cycleto.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=973:talk-to-horner&catid=15:interviews&Itemid=6

[cadence90]

From cyclingnews.com (http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009//giro09/?id=results/giro099):

"The stage was characterized by a rider protest involving the safety of the 16.5-kilometre Milan circuit which would be covered 10 times. The peloton rode at a very leisurely 32 km/h pace on the opening circuits before stopping at the finish line with six laps remaining. Race leader Danilo Di Luca took a microphone in hand and made a statement to the crowd, apologizing for the peloton's actions.

"We are going on. We wanted to stop and say thanks for your presence, but we don't feel the need to risk it anymore. The circuit is not adapted to our security," said Di Luca.

It had been decided that the stage would have no effect on the general classification and only stage honours would be at stake for the peloton.

The leisurely pace continued until three laps remaining when the pace increased to the normal, brisk tempo anticipated on the flat stage. The teams of the sprinters controlled the head of the peloton through to the concluding bunch sprint."

[Charles M]

Another great example of the UCI being almost completely worthless...

If there were any sort of real authority from the UCI they would have standrads that races needed to meet and this stage would never have been laid out that way...


BRAVO for the riders telling the promoter to f*#* off.

[Marcusaurelius]

Well I trust the riders, if they think it's not safe to ride, I believe them.

[paulandmonster]

there are parked cars on the course cones to keep out traffic. ive been in local rides with better course 160 plus riders on narrow streets with parked cars is totally unaceptable. the riders were right. we are going to see some crazy racing tuesday with some well rested legs