The cyclists of the Tour of Italy threatened a boycott – the snowy weather is feared to be dangerous | Sport

At the last minute, the competitors demanded changes to the route of the 16th stage of the Tour of Italy. Snowfall and cool weather make racing dangerous.

The start of Tuesday’s stage of the Tour of Italy has been delayed due to difficult weather conditions. Cyclists have threatened to boycott the 16th stage on Tuesday if the route is not made safer.

The route of the day’s stage was already changed a week ago for safety reasons, as the risk of avalanches in the Stelvio Pass has increased due to recent rains and increased temperatures. In addition, there are large cracks in the roads in the area.

The new route of the section to be driven on Tuesday runs from Livigno to Santa Cristina Val Gardena, and its length is 206 kilometers.

Snowfall and a temperature of only a couple of degrees are expected to cause challenges for cyclists on Tuesday. The association of professional cyclists CPA demands that the Umbrail mountain pass be removed from the route of the stage. The organizers of the competition have said that the competitors will be given a three-minute break on Tuesday’s stage so that the cyclists can change into dry clothes. According to the CPA, taking a break is not enough to ensure the safety and well-being of cyclists.

Cycling media Cycling News says that on Monday, the representatives of RCS Sport, which organizes the race, gathered together with representatives of the International Cycling Federation and the teams to discuss the weather conditions. According to the cycling media, RCS Sport announced on Monday afternoon that the race will continue as planned if the weather conditions are “considered normal”.

Bad weather is expected to make the competition more difficult in the coming race days as well, when the competitors head towards Rome.

Tadej Pogačar in superior leadership

With the 16th stage, the third and last week of the Tour of Italy starts on Tuesday. The overall competition is overwhelmingly led by a Slovenian Tadej Pogačar. The lead of the 25-year-old cyclist is 6 minutes and 41 seconds. Second at the moment is Great Britain Geraint Thomas and in third Colombia Daniel Martinezwhich is 15 seconds behind Geraint.

Pogačar won Sunday’s 15th stage by an overwhelming margin.

– I felt really good. It was a long stage and there was a lot of climbing, which is always its own story. But I was really satisfied with my legs and how my condition is progressing day by day, Pogačar commented on his previous stage For Cycling News.

The Tour of Italy culminates in the final leg in Rome on Sunday, May 26.