Tour of Lombardy peloton stops five minutes in protest over vehicle incidents and rider deaths

The five-minute stoppage in Bergamo

The peloton stayed stationary on the start ramp in Bergamo for five minutes on Saturday, after the organisers had completed the countdown for the 120th Tour of Lombardy. The stillness caused a brief moment of confusion before Remco Evenepoel, the Belgian double Olympic champion, took the microphone on behalf of the riders. The protest was aimed at the UCI and race organisers, with the riders asking for better safety on race courses. After five minutes the riders set off normally on the route towards Como.

Evenepoel explained the reason for the stoppage in direct terms.

There's too many incidents happening with vehicles in the race

He then spoke about the riders who had been killed or hurt.

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.

Finlay Tarling and earlier vehicle incidents

Evenepoel was referring to the death of Finlay Tarling, a 19-year-old British rider and the younger brother of Josh Tarling. Tarling died after a collision on 14 August during the eighth stage of the Tour of Portugal, when he was struck by a light goods vehicle that was not part of the race caravan and was travelling against the direction of the race in Arcozelo, in the municipality of Ponte de Lima. Earlier this week, Thomas Gloag and Marcel Camprubí were struck by a police motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction during the Tre Valli Varesine in Italy. According to the riders' statement, both escaped with cuts and bruises. The day before, a delivery van had entered the course of the Coppa Bernocchi, also in Italy, without causing a crash.

Riders' statement and demands to the UCI

Several riders published a joint statement on social media at the same time, among them Tom Pidcock, Michal Kwiatkowski and João Almeida. The union CPA, which represents professional cyclists, issued a statement saying the riders were united against unnecessary risks. The CPA wrote that riders race at high speed with little protection and depend on the UCI and organisers to secure the roads, a responsibility it said is not being met. The union asked the UCI to help ensure race organisers take responsibility and act to improve safety standards. The statement added that the riders did not want to affect the race.

We will not stand for this any longer.

Family response

Finlay Tarling's father, Michael Tarling, thanked the riders on social media for the protest. He wrote that the family was grateful, moved and proud of Fin's fellow cyclists for the protest at the Tour of Lombardy. He also shared the riders' statement, which refers to the vehicle incidents in the Tre Valli Varesine. In his own message, he called for the International Cycling Union to listen and for changes to be made.

There need to be changes, and no other family should receive the call we received on 14 August. We sincerely hope that the International Cycling Union is listening and that changes are made.