"We cannot just let this go" - Lorena Wiebes expelled from Giro d'Italia Women as SD Worx - Protime vow to contest bike weight disqualification

Lorena Wiebes was dramatically expelled from the 2026 Giro d'Italia Women on Saturday evening, hours after taking a dominant stage 1 victory and taking the pink jersey. Organisers released a bombshell statement after the podium ceremonies to disqualify Wiebes from the race and award the stage win to Elisa Balsamo.

Organisers said that the bike did not meet the UCI's minimum weight of 6.8 kilograms and weighed at 6.78 kilograms by commissaires, meaning the Team SD Worx – Protime rider's bike did not meet the UCI rules under Article 2.12.007 2.2.

RCS Sport said: "Lorena Wiebes has been excluded from the Giro d'Italia Women for violating rule 2.12.007 - 2.2: Using a bike that does not comply with the rules, in particular by not complying with the minimum weight requirements"

The decision carries the maximum sporting penalty as the Dutch star's stage win and classifications awards were stripped from the record. Her place in the race has also been taken away, meaning she will not be allowed to start Sunday's second stage.

Team SD Worx – Protime have hit back, saying the team is 'astonished' and questioning the bicycle-weighing process in the race. Moreover, claiming there were fluctuations in the bike's weight before and after the stage - questioning the margin of error.

“It will be difficult, but, we cannot just let this go," team manager Erwin Janssen told NOS on Sunday morning. "It is ridiculous that Lorena is being kicked out. This is causing us so much damage. We were going for three or four victories. It is sad. These are the bikes we always ride. And we have never had anything like this happen before.”

He added: “How is that possible? The first one was 70 grams lighter than allowed. The weighing equipment, if this was done at altitude, needs to be recalibrated. That didn't happen, we heard. After the finish, we ourselves came in above 6.83 kilos. But that was indoors, without wind, using our own equipment. We are going to do everything we can, including legally. But they are unyielding. It will be their no against our yes. They will receive a letter stating that we are going to hold them liable for damages suffered.”

The statement, released on Saturday evening, read: "Team SD Worx – Protime is astonished by the decision of the UCI commissaires' panel that Lorena Wiebes' bicycle did not comply with the minimum weight limit after the first stage of the Giro d'Italia Women, in accordance with UCI Article 2.12.007–2.2. According to the jury, the bicycle weighed 6.78 kilograms and therefore did not meet the UCI's minimum weight requirement of 6.8 kilograms."

"The team has serious questions about the bicycle-weighting procedures at the Giro d'Italia Women. For example, there was a weight difference of more than 50 grams between the first and second weighing of Wiebes' bicycle after the finish of the stage in Ravenna."

The team labelled the Dutch champion sprinter's disqualification as 'exceptionally severe', adding: "Wiebes has ridden this bicycle on multiple occasions this season, always with the same setup. She achieved numerous victories on this bike. Moreover, earlier this year, the bicycle was weighed by UCI officials after several races in which Wiebes won sprint finishes convincingly."

The statement concluded: "Team SD Worx – Protime believes that Wiebes' disqualification is an exceptionally severe sanction. In a flat sprint stage, unlike a mountain stage, a small reduction in weight provides virtually no advantage.

"This is certainly true for a rider like Wiebes, who won the sprint in Ravenna by three bicycle lengths.Team SD Worx – Protime, a leading team in the women's peloton for the past fifteen years, has no explanation for why Wiebes' bicycle was found to be under the minimum weight on this occasion."