After significant pushback from riders and teams due to concerns about racing in freezing rain and snow, race Giro d’Italia organiser RCS Sport has announced that the Umbrail Pass has been removed from the route of Stage 16.
There was huge confusion this morning with the race set to roll out of Livigno as planned until RCS Sport accepted that the weather was worsening and so they agreed to remove the Umbrail Pass.
RCS Sport and the Livigno mayor hoped the riders would ride around the town and cover 18km until the Munt la Schera Tunnel. But even this plan was scrapped as riders wanted to avoid getting cold and wet before the transfer to the new start point. A lack of clarity and decision-making meant the start of the stage descended into confusion.
Riders signed in and many waited under the tents until the final decisions were made about reducing the stage. They eventually left Livigno just after 12:00 local time in team cars and vans after their team buses had set off for a long transfer to the finish.
The team cars and race convoy travelled through the Munt la Schera Tunnel into Switzerland to the new start location close to Prato allo Stelvio in Lasa. Racing is scheduled to begin there at 14:15 CEST with the flag drop 15 minutes later at 14:30 CEST.
A new route around 120km long will be taken on by the 148 remaining riders in Italy with the planned finish in Santa Cristina Valgardena (Monte Pana) still on the menu.
A statement from the Giro d'Italia organisers said that cutting the Umbrail Pass was one of three options presented this morning: the original route to be raced as planned, the riders to complete the Umbrail Pass and change at the top with a few minutes of neutralisation, or the stage be neutralised up to a place where the safety conditions are met – Prati allo Stelvio.
There was a stand-off with riders and organisers in the morning, but the riders expressed concerns due to the safety risk on the snowy descent and the potential of getting ill in the freezing rain.
Images from parts of the Umbrail Pass showed snow falling with temperatures close to zero.
On Monday, it was agreed to ride the stage as planned due to pressure from RCS Sport but that angered the peloton. The CPA rider’s association issued a statement saying that the teams were unanimous in their desire to alter the route, with 100% of them voting not to “descend with the current conditions” and to start the stage at a point after the climb.
The original route from Livigno to Santa Cristina Valgardena (Monte Pana) was due to be 206km in length after already being altered with the Stelvio Pass being removed and replaced by the Umbrial Pass. Both climbs were meant to be the Cima Coppi of the 2024 Giro, the highest peak of the race.
What was due to be one of the toughest days due to the weather and the terrain will still have plenty of climbing in the last 35km, with the 23.3 km Passo Pinei and then the final Monte Pana climb (6.5km at 6.1%).
For the latest updates from the race, follow the Cyclingnews live coverage of the stage.
Giro d'Italia stage 16 Live - Start postponed due to extreme weather amid total confusion
