"They are looking for trouble" - Visma DS calls out Giro organizers who opted for a cobbled sprint finish in Napoli

Stage 6 of the Giro d'Italia provides a new opportunity for the sprinters to fight for victory, as the peloton continues heading north, with a flat stage finishing in Napoli set to feature a spectacular sprint. However there is forecast of rain, and with a cobbled sprint finish, there are worries and there is criticism to the race organizers.

The crash on stage 2 has affected dozens of riders and has gotten all teams on high alert. The fifth day of the race saw the riders race under a deluge in several instances, further increasing the fear of the crashes affecting the race for all teams.

Hence this Thursday the peloton will not be overly content with a finale that is set to feature wet cobblestones, posing a threat to the GC riders, but above all to the sprinters who will have to tackle it at high speed in order to be in contention for a result.

The sixth stage was one that had its course altered recently, removing a late hilltop, meaning a pure bunch sprint is expected. The race will not end right by the sea as has previously been the case; but this time around on the Piazza del Piebiscito - one of Napoli's central points. But the problem with his choice is obvious for many.

“They are looking for trouble. We have finished here [in Napoli] before, and normally it went straight on. That was always a very nice finish for the sprinters," Team Visma | Lease a Bike DS Marc Reef told In de Leiderstrui. "Now we first get small cobbles, and then we finish on large stone slabs.”

It is far from a regular sprint finish, even if the uphill rise to the line may diminish speeds and reduce the risks. But inside the final kilometer there will be one 90-degree and one 180-degree corner that will be on flat terrain, meaning the sprinters have no chance but to take risks in order to fight for a prestigious stage win.

Whilst the weather forecast can't be controlled, Reef argues that the change of the finishing location was not necessary. “For me, they do not always need to look for this. They would still have had a great sprint otherwise.”

With safety in the sport being a focal topic over the past few years, it is hard to overlook the technical finale in Napoli, where the balance between safety and a scenic finish is a fine line. “I think they want beautiful images of the finish on that square. For me, that is not necessary. We just have to get through Thursday safely, without taking risks. Then we will look ahead," he concluded.