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🇮🇹 #GiroThe peloton is on the way, just not on bikes yet 🤷🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/HjQ3ISSgG6May 19, 2023
One hour to go!
The route has dated this slightly, but Barry Ryan's stage 13 preview still sets the tone as the Giro hits the mountains
We're another rider light at this Giro, and it's a big one, stage 6 winner and former world champion Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo). He was fighting for the maglia ciclamino in the points classification but now has to leave the race after falling ill alst night.
That'll be a proper uphill start.Priority break? Nop - stay warm https://t.co/zG5ZabG3SfMay 19, 2023
The buses on their way to Switzerland.
Adam Hansen is the new president of the CPA and he has been a far more prominent and vocal leader of the riders' union than his predecessor. The CPA used to come in for all sorts of criticism but Hansen appears to be a genuinely popular and respected figure among riders.
Here's an interesting statement from him on Twitter. It was from stage 10, which also saw discussions over a shortening, but still has relevance for today.
Thanks for the story. I will say this very nicely. My job is to represent the riders, not convince them, change their options, and definitely not side with the organisers, UCI, or fans. I'm not here to make friends with organisers, UCI, teams, or even fans.It is not my voice.… https://t.co/XVCVTDCSKvMay 18, 2023
Our respected Italian colleague Marco Bonarrigo says the Gran San Bernardo descent is currently dry with a temperature of 8 degrees. The race wasn't due to pass through for another hour and a half, but at the moment it would appear rideable.
@giroditalia Discesa del Gran San Bernardo (che i corridori faranno in bus), quota 1664 slm, temperatura 8 gradi, strada asciutta, timido sole che fa capolino tra le nuvole. Con @GaiaPic pic.twitter.com/ZKpfSuolW1May 19, 2023
Moscon speaks out
Gianni Moscon (Astana) is one rider who does not agree with the shortening of the stage. Here's his remarkable statement to Italian broadcaster Rai.
"It's true that there's bad weather, it's true that we're tired but I don't think there were the conditions to shorten the stage. For me you could ride, then if someone wanted to stop they could. We are not ordered to be professional cyclists. If we don't like it, we can change jobs."
The right decision?
This is going to be an issue that divides opinion and rumbles on. The Giro organisers, understandably, want to protect their race and the towns who have agreed to host it. The riders, understandably, want to work in safe conditions. It's not always possible to find an objectively 'right' decision, but the emphasis should be on dialogue and compromise to find a solution that works for everyone.
The strange thing in this situation is the nature of the compromise. As we understand it, discussions this week have focused on the Croix de Coeur, particularly its descent, with the roads said to be in poor condition after recent snowfall, and more rainfall forecast this afternoon. However, as Haig pointed out, that all remains in place.
Instead, the organisers have chopped off the Gran San Bernardo and the first 125km. I'm sure many of the riders will be relieved, but does this fully solve the problem? Is that really the most dangerous aspect of the route? If the rain is really concentrated in Italy, and things remain clear in Switzerland, then maybe it's the best outcome, but the forecasts don't seem so sure about that.
With a cat-1 climb from the gun, the riders are going to want to warm up. There's talk of a mass turbo trainer arena in a sports hall near the new start.
Again, only in cycling.
If you're only just joining us...
Stage 13 of the Giro is not currently happening. It started (sort of) but has now stopped, and riders are being driven to Switzerland after the first 125km of the stage were cut due to adverse weather.
The stage will therefore skip the Passo Gran San Bernardo entirely, the highest mountain of this year's Giro having already been cut down in size earlier this week. We will still do the Croix de Coeur and its descent - despite fears over the safety of the latter - before heading on to the summit finish at Crans-Montana.
The stage is 74.6km long, it starts at 14:30 local time, and it could be absolute carnage as it heads up and down a huge mountain from kilometre-zero.
#Giro 🇮🇹UCI legal? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ewJMhQDmEeMay 19, 2023
At least some were in good spirits
The race leader at the start
The glamour of the Giro
Our full story on the route change can be found here:
Adverse weather forces Giro d'Italia to cut stage 13 to 74.6km
"I can understand the organisers and I can understand the riders. It's not a fun situation," says Thibaut Pinot, who adds: "Doing two descents at zero degrees, I think that's not possible."
Statement from the race organisers
"Given the adverse weather conditions, especially on the Italian side, the Commission decided to meet the athletes' requests by applying the Extreme Weather Protocol. Stage 13 will be shortened with the new km 0 being set at Le Chable, at the bottom of the Croix de Couer. The final part of the stage remains unchanged. The race will follow the original timetable."
Not all the riders are happy about this decision. Here's Jack Haig.
"I’ve seen we’re starting the last two climbs but to be honest I don’t fully agree because one of the main reasons that we didn’t want to do the middle climb was because the road surface on the downhill was potentially dangerous and we wouldn’t have time to put clothes on.
"And now we’re starting at the bottom of the climb where we’re going to race full and get very hot, so not needing many clothes. Then doing the downhill with potentially guys racing to bridge back to the groups they’ve been dropped from on a downhill that we’ve discussed is dangerous, so I don’t’ really understand the compromise, but yeah…"
The riders have soaked through a layer of clothing already. They'll get into some dry casual gear and settle in for a 100km drive.
Most of the buses have in fact been moved, with many in a nearby industrial yard and the riders all now parking their bikes and stepping onto their buses.
Some of the buses have in fact moved. Intermarché and QuickStep have managed to get theirs right up to that turn-off, so an extra bit of time in the dry for those riders. Marginal gains.
And now they turn off. The road is blocked and they're guided left onto a small road that will loop them back around.
The riders have now left the town centre and they're approaching km0
Only pro cycling would make the Giro d'Italia peloton ride several neutralised kilometres in the rain, then jump on the team bus and start 120km away 😂 Football equivalent is team doing keepy-uppies on waterlogged pitch for the fans then driving to a different stadiumMay 19, 2023
There are pink balloons everywhere here.
Here's what race leader Geraint Thomas has to say
"There was a big chat last night with the CPA. All the teams voted on what they wanted to do. To be honest, I think it’s a good decision. I think it’s still going to be a super hard stage. It just means we’re not in this cold, wet weather for even longer," the Welshman tells Eurosport/GCN.
"We’ve seen so many guys going home with sickness, so if we want to get to Rome with at least 50 guys, it’s a good decision. It’s still going to be hard racing, so I think it’s a decent compromise.
"If anything, it makes it tougher. We’re starting at this second climb. It’s a tough climb. There’s no warming up. It’s going to be super hard. There’s going to be a lot of attacks straight away. For us, we’ve got to try and keep it simple, keep doing what we’re doing, communicating well, and try and control that first climb."
The start is being maintained to honour the agreement with Borgofranco d'Ivrea, who have made significant investments and plans to host the start of a stage of the Giro. There's pink stuff everywhere and it's a real shame for the town and its cycling fans, who, to give them their due, have still turned out in big numbers to see this.
They're off. Stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia is officially underway. Only it will last just five non-racing minutes before everyone turns around and goes back to the buses.
The riders are on the start line and they're going to roll out here
"You need to take the best decision to safeguard the riders," says Bahrain Victorious' Jonathan Milan. "I think it’s the best thing”
Starting one of the biggest mountains of the 2023 Giro right from the gun? Carnage.
At 74.6km, it's slightly shorter than we first thought. We might still be starting in Sembrancher but it looks like we'll have a mini improvised neutral zone before kilometre-zero in La Châble, which is the exact foot of the Croix de Coeur.
Here's the new stage profile
Here's Eolo-Kometa's Lorenzo Fortunato
“We’ll only do the last two climbs, right? We were ready to do the whole thing but I think it was a great decision. It’s a pity for the public, but the other day in the mountains when it was very cold, there weren’t many fans, which was understandable. There’ll still be spettacolo with this stage - maybe even more."
The scene at the start.
Mood
It's a very short neutral zone today, so in fact the riders will ride the neutral zone in the driving rain, then ride back to the start area, to just get back in the buses.
Cycling. You wouldn't want it any other way.
The riders are gathering on the start line. They're actually going to roll out and ride through the neutral zone to kilometre-zero, at which point they'll get into their team buses and be driven to Switzerland.
Here's the race director, Mauro Vegni
“There was a request from the riders and to change the route of the stage because of the extreme weather protocol.
"The real time news from Switzerland is that the conditions are much better there than here in Italy
"I have to say it’s never easy to find an agreement because everyone has their own interests. My interest is the Giro.”
This has come about after discussions between riders, teams and the Giro organisers. The UCI's extreme weather protocol has been triggered and a compromise has been reached.
Confirmed: stage shortened
What I just outlined has been confirmed by race director Mauro Vegni. Stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia will start in Sembrancher in Switzerland at 14:24 local time, effectively cutting the first 119km from today's route. The stage will be 80km long, tackling the Croix de Coeur and its descent as normal before heading up the Crans Montana summit finish.
Possible shortening of the stage
We're hearing that the stage could be shortened to around 80km, skipping the San Gran Bernado entirely.
🇮🇹 RACE: @giroditalia The way we are swimming 🏊🏼♀️ to the start… What a nice day! #Giro #GirodItalia #AstanaQazaqstanTeam pic.twitter.com/rRe00SvKIoMay 19, 2023
Of course, this stage was already re-routed and downgraded. The Gran San Bernardo looks big on the profile, doesn't it, but in reality it should tower over the Croix de Coeur. The true summit, all the way up at 2,469 metres, should have been the Cima Coppi as the highest point in this year's Giro, but snowfall made it unscalable, and instead we are stopping at 1875 metres and literally going through the mountain in a tunnel.
We begin with the news that there could be yet more disruption to this Giro.
As if it hasn't rained enough, it's absolutely bucketing down in the Alps. Rumours have been swirling all week about the descent off the Croix de Coeur, which has been flagged as dangerous after recent snowfall. At the start in Borgofranco d'Ivrea right now, discussions are ongoing as to a potential re-routing.
Today's menu
Good morning, and welcome to the mountains.
After a couple of time trials, some sprints, a few breakaways, and an opening-week mountain stage that fell totally flat, we are finally digging into the serious business at this Giro d'Italia. Stage 13 takes us over two Alpine beasts before heading for a summit finish at Crans-Montana. Not to be missed!
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May 19, 2023 at 06:30PM
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Giro d'Italia stage 13 live - Race starts, stops, and shortens - Cyclingnews
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