Chaos and confusion reigned at the Giro d’Italia overnight after riders boycotted the original planned start to stage 16 in Livigno after the route was left in a blanket of snow. A new, shortened route, around 120km long, was proposed by Giro organisers RCS, cutting out the Umbrail Pass, with racing due to begin from close to Lasa at 12.30am NZ time.
However even until the final minutes before the new start time there was speculation that a majority of teams would prefer to cancel the stage altogether and might not show up. It did eventually get under way. The route had already been altered from the one that was originally presented by the Giro d’Italia last autumn, with the famous Stelvio climb removed due to a risk of avalanches.
But with the weather worsening, the Extreme Weather Protocol Commission met on yesterday to try to work out what to do in the event of horrific conditions. Three options were tabled, depending on how bad the conditions were. At 10am on Tuesday local time, according to RCS, it was decided between organisers and the Professional Cyclists Association [CPA] that with the snow falling heavily, and given the plunging temperatures of -10C, they would enact ‘Option 3′, which would see the stage “neutralised up to a place where the safety conditions are met”.
RCS Sport and the Livigno mayor hoped the riders would ride around the town and cover 18km until the Munt la Schera Tunnel. But this plan was scrapped as riders wanted to avoid getting cold.
