The start of the Giro di Lombardia was delayed by approximately five minutes on Saturday as members of the peloton staged a coordinated protest to highlight mounting safety concerns on race roads.
Although organizers completed the countdown and waved the starting flag in Bergamo, Italy, the riders remained stationary. The pause created confusion among spectators before Belgian star Remco Evenepoel addressed the crowd.
Evenepoel, a double Olympic champion, cited a recurring pattern of vehicle-related incidents and pointed to the fatal collision involving British cyclist Fin Tarling at the Volta a Portugal in August.
“Unfortunately we lost the life of a brother and of a colleague of us, so we want to make this statement to show to the world that we cannot keep accepting the fact that guys are getting injured or literally dying in what we like the most to do,” Evenepoel said. The race eventually resumed after a second flag was waved, with riders proceeding toward Como.
The Professional Cyclists’ Association (CPA) released a statement condemning the lack of road security, noting that multiple vehicle incidents occurred in just one week. The union also referenced the collisions suffered by Thomas Gloag and Marcel Camprubi with a police motorcycle during the Tre Valli Varesine earlier in the week.
“This summer, a life was tragically lost to exactly this kind of failure. We will not stand for this any longer,” the CPA stated on Instagram, where the message was shared by Evenepoel and British rider Tom Pidcock. The organization called on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to ensure race organizers take responsibility for improving safety standards.
Emphasizing that the goal was awareness rather than disruption, the union added, “We did not want to affect the race, only to show what riders can do when we stand as one. We love this sport… however most importantly we want to come home safe to our loved ones.”
The Giro di Lombardia serves as the final “Monument” of the cycling season and the penultimate event on the UCI World Tour calendar. While Tadej Pogacar has won the race for the past five years, the Slovenian is absent this year due to a season-ending injury sustained at the Vuelta a Espana.
Imagine missing your chance at glory because you cared about your life. This solidarity is incredibly powerful and necessary.
Shocking that vehicle incidents are happening so frequently. The police motorcycle collisions sound terrifying and completely unacceptable.
Will five minutes really change anything? The UCI needs to enforce stricter rules, not just listen to speeches.
I didn’t know about the Fin Tarling tragedy. It’s heartbreaking that it took a protest to get attention on this issue.
Finally, the riders are standing together. Safety must come before prizes and podiums. This is long overdue.