UPDATE: 3 climbs officially cut from stage 16 route at Giro d'Italia, organizers confirm

It has been in the works over the past 24 hours but it is now confirmed. The Giro d'Italia has cut the Umbrailpass from the 2024 Giro d'Italia (after the Passo dello Stelvio itself was cut), and the riders will skip the first climbs of stage 16 fully because of horrible weather conditions.

At the top of the Umbrailpass, temperatures of 2ºC were recorded this morning, with 95% chance of snow according to the forecast shared by CPA president Adam Hansen. At the unanimous request of all teams in the Giro d'Italia peloton, an official announcement was launched this morning towards Giro d'Italia organizers RCS demanding the cut of the first part of the stage. Not only at the Umbrailpass, but also at the Passo del Foscagno there has been reported snowing already this morning.

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Whilst the climbing would not be the reason for such cut, it is instead the long and technical descent which would take place in wet and freezing cold conditions, on technical roads at altitude at the start of a 200-kilometer day on the bike.

Simon Geschke, second in the KOM classification, has said yesterday that "the CPA group is currently exploding. At the moment, teams + UCI are on one side, and the organizer RCS is on the other. 0 degrees and snowfall are forecast for the Umbrail Pass." This already signaled the clear intentions from the Giro peloton to cut the stage in some way in order to prioritize the riders' health and safety.

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"... The RCS (of course) wants to complete the stage as planned. However, the UCI reserves the right to cancel the stage completely if it snows at the top of the Umbrail. The riders would like to start the race after the Umbrail descent and race the rest of the stage normally."

And that is ultimately what is now on the schedule, officially. Adam Hansen wrote this morning that "even if the teams or the organizers put pressure on the riders, the riders said they would stick together no matter what because it's clear that the situation even now is worse. Their health and safety is the top priority."

As of 11:20 local time (CET) the riders have taken to the stage for the presentation in Livigno, but multiple sources have confirmed that the stage will not be raced as initially planned. Sporza report that the riders will most likely jump to the team vehicles after the presentation and start the stage in Prati di Stelvio - 34 kilometers after the Umbrailpass summit.

Spanish news outlet Marca have also reported that the start will take place in this town, but organizers and team have not reached a consensus in how the riders will get there. Italian RAI have talked of the possibility that the race could still start in Livigno and ride through a long tunnel in the mountains in the direction the stage is taking, with the first kilometers being fully neutralized.

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UPDATE

Organizers have made it official, the stage will start in Prati allo Stelvio, after the end of the Umbrailpass' descent. The riders will indeed ride from Livigno to this town via the Tunnel Munt Raschera behind a race convoy (neutralized race). The riders did not agree on any scenario but a start after the climbs, despite the alternative options provided by RCS. Many riders have criticized the insistence of Mauro Vegni, Ben O'Connor being the most prominent.

"At 9am, the Commision met and at 10am, given the conditions at the time, decided to implement option 2 (racing as normal but with extra support for the riders in terms of clothing and a 3-minute neutralization at the top of the Umbrailpass, ed.).

"A few minutes before the start, the weather conditions deteriorated further and so the Commission decided to fall back on option 3 (neutralized start until Prati di Stelvio, ed.) The stage willk have it's typical start and procedures in Livigno. From there, a parade will start towards the Tunnel Munt Raschera. The riders will stop and change before the Swiss border. The actual start will be Prati allo Stelvio as per the time trial."

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Tadej Pogacar reacts to stage 16 chaos at the Giro: "I'll race if they want me to, but it's not ideal"

Ben O'Connor blasts Giro organizers amidst snow chaos: "You still have dinosaurs who really don't see the human side of things"

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🤩 That is absolutely phenomenal, what a shot @lvanbon! By far, one of the best images of this race so far #GirodItalia

Léon van Bon

@lvanbon

A moment never to forget. @TamauPogi @giroditalia

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