The Italian, who started the race as one of the main favourites for the overall classification, crashed on the opening stage of the Saudi Tour due to unsignaled obstacle leaving him with two stitches on an elbow.
Although the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team rider went onto recover and finish in second place in yesterday's uphill finale into Abu Rakah, the crash has made it impossible for him to fight for the GC. But the attentions are naturally focused on a different point.
"We have seen the images and we have several sources at the race, and it’s clear there were two potentially very dangerous situations," explained The Riders Union representative Luuc Eisenga.
“For us, it’s telling that we are all saying ‘it’s OK, Bagioli was fortunately not seriously injured’, but it’s not OK. It’s still very nasty when you have a wound that requires stitches." The incident happened over the gravel road section that was designed in the opening stage, and whilst from an helicopter point of view it is rather clear the obstacles signal the limits of the actual road, from a rider's perspective this did not seem visible. As some riders steered into the less packed gravel area, Bagioli didn't manage to see the obstacle and as faith would have it ended up colliding with it. It is noteworthy to add that there were cones marking similar obstacles in the same images.
Additionally upon close inspection another complaint was launched regarding another rule that has not been implemented by the race.
"The 400 metres of barriers thus formed must be continuous and the barriers firmly attached to each other. No gaps are allowed (in particular at the finish line). We respect the challenges of race organisers but it also feels like everyone should be working together to make sure these things do not happen. There is clearly room for improveme
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