• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Riders Complaints About Long, "Hard" Stages

Page 3 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.

Are the riders right in wanting to shorten the stage in situations like this?

  • Yes

    Votes: 7 9.0%
  • No

    Votes: 71 91.0%

  • Total voters
    78
The truth is these stages have no sense. A 250kms flat stage at the ending of a GT after the hardest stage of the race is absurd.

To be honest, a more than 200kms stages are not gonna be seen in the coming years. And I hope/desire that flat stages been less and less common in GTs.
Why would you hope there are less flat stages? Sprinters are an integral part of GTs.
 
If nothing else, this does show the riders need a real union to represent them. I wouldn't expect them to ever have a union as strong as MLB players have as it's one of the stronger unions. However, the CPA seems to be a joke.
I personally have never seen a reason for 200 plus KM stages and to me 150 km pan flat stages seem to be useless as well, but there are transition stages that are needed. Now it appears la Vuelta has virtually eliminated 200km plus stages, on the other hand, they love packing as many mountain top finishes as possible into 3 weeks.
As to what happened at the Giro, I have no idea and it appears to be a complete mess.
Fatigue. The lightweight riders suffer on the long, pan flat stages, even while protected by their team and producing 175 watts.

I remember reading that Bernard Hinault would instruct his team to set a hard pace on the flats early in the Tour in order to tire out the climbers before the high mountains.
 
The truth is these stages have no sense. A 250kms flat stage at the ending of a GT after the hardest stage of the race is absurd.

To be honest, a more than 200kms stages are not gonna be seen in the coming years. And I hope/desire that flat stages been less and less common in GTs.
The final week needed to have a flat stage in it somewhere, or would you have just told Sagan, Demare, Viviani et al "no point showing up for work after the 2nd rest day, lads"?

Yes it's long, but in an era when riders complain about long transfers, it's probably the best way to get from yesterday's stage finish to tomorrow's start (google maps says it's about 400km by car).
 
If the riders do not show up for the race, it is DNS for them. This showed how weak RCS and Vegni was.
From all reports there would be about 25-30 riders left in the race.

To put things in context, Nathan Haas has said that the Stelvio stage was longer than what anyone on the team slept that night. Thank the transfers - apparently it was around 90 minutes to the start, then another 2.5 hours after the finish. Longer for Kelderman, Hindley, Hart etc, and this obviously isn't the first time.

An action like this needs the overwhelming majority of the peloton on board, not just Adam Hansen acting on behalf on a whim. The riders must be showing some real solidarity on this, and if so, I support them - they provide the product and have the right to a satisfactory working condition like anyone else.

For more rider opinions check Pelotonbriefs Instagram story from today
 
Last edited:
Some of the long GT stages between 2008-2012:
- 2008 Giro
Stage 6 Potenza-Peschici 232 km ( no categrorized climbs but up and down terrain for breakaway )
Stage 19 Legnano-Monte Pora 228 km over Vivione, Presolana and finish in Monte Pora
Stage 20 Rovetto-Tirano 224 km over Gavia, Mortirolo and Aprica

- 2008 Tour
Stage 9 Toulouse-Bagneres de Bigorre 222 km over Peyresourde and Aspin
Stage 15 Embrun-Prato Nevoso 217 km over Agnello ( easier side ) with finish at Prato Nevoso
Stage 18 Embrun-L'Alpe d'Huez 210.5 km over Galibier, Croix de Fer and finish in Alpe d' Huez

- 2008 Vuelta
Stage 8 Barbasso-Naturlandia La Rabassa 224 km over Montllobar, Faidella, Alt de la Rabassa with finish in Naturlandia la Rabassa

- 2009 Giro
Stage 6 Bressanone-Mayrhofen 248 km over Felbertauern, Hochkrimml
Stage 7 Innsbruck-Chiavenna 244 km
Stage 10 Cuneo-Pinerolo 262 km over Moncenisio, Sestriere and Pramartino
Stage 16 Pergola-Monte Petrano 237 km over Monte delle Cesane, Monte Nerone, Monte Catria with finish in Monte Petrano

- 2009 Tour
Stage 7 Barcelona-Andorra Arcalis 224 km over Serra Seca with finish in Arcalis

-2010 Giro
Stage 7 Carrara-Montalcino 222 km over Poggio Civitella and gravel roads ( and rain to make it a mudfest <3 )
Stage 11 Lucera-L'Aquila 262 km over Rionero Sannitico, Roccaraso and Capo di Valle ( wet stage )
Stage 13 Porto Recanati-Cesenatico 223 km over Perticara and Barbotto
Stage 14 Ferrara-Asolo 201 km over Monte Grappa
Stage 15 Mestre-Monte Zoncolan 223 km over Sella Chianzutan, Passo Duron, Passo Valcalda with finish at Zoncolan

-2010 Tour
Stage 9 Morzine-Saint Jean de Maurienne 204.5 km over Colombiere, Aravis, Saisies and Madeleine
Stage 12 Bourg de Peage-Mende 210.5 km over Suc de Montivernoux with finish at Mende

-2011 Giro
Stage 2 Alba-Parma 244 km
Stage 14 Original: Lienz-Monte Zoncolan 210 km over Mauria, Monte Crostis with finish at Monte Zoncolan
Stage 15 Conegliano-Gardeccia( Val di Fassa ) 229 km over Piancavallo, Forcella Cibiana, Giau, Fedaia with finish at Rifugio Gardeccia
Stage 17 Feltre-Tirano 230 km over Tonale and Aprica
Stage 20 Verbania-Sestriere 242 km over Finestre with finish at Sestriere

2011 Tour
Stage 6 Dinan-Lisieux 227 km ( rainy stage )
Stage 12 Cugnaux-Luz Ardiden 211 km over Ancizan, Tourmalet with finish at Luz Ardiden
Stage 18 Pinerolo-Galibier 200.5 km over Agnello, Izoard with finish at Galibier

2012 Giro
Stage 6 Urbino-Porto Sant Elpidio 210 km over many short hills and even some gravel at Passo della Capella
Stage 8 Sulmona-Lago di Laceno 229 km over Colle Molella and earlier climbs in the day
Stage 11 Assisi-Montecatini Terme 255 km
Stage 19 Treviso-Alpe di Pampeago 198 km over Sella di Roa, Passo Manghen, Passo Pampeago, Passo Lavaze with finish at Alpe di Pampeago
Stage 20 Caldes-Passo dello Stelvio 219 km over Tonale, Aprica, Teglio, Mortirolo with finish at Stelvio

2012 Tour
Stage 12 Saint Jean de Maurienne-Annonay Daveziux 226 km over Grand Cucheron and Granier
Stage 18 Blagnac-Brive la Gaillarde 222.5 km

I have one question. What is Demare smoking to make that statement?
It's not the length. It's the length combined with the transfers and RCS not having control of the race bubble.
 
"Majority/most of riders" has been mentioned in passing by posters and riders too, but that starting point needs to be checked. A simple majority shouldn't rule race decisions like this.

Soft pedaling a stage or segment can be an informal peloton concenus, but it is different to knock 100k off a stage.

More importantly, the Peloton who cried wolf looses credibility, when they have little other capital to make the safety changes that are necessary.
 
My faith in this forum is restored. This stage was known about months ago. The excuses put forth by the riders who led this protest are simply lame.

In the 1993 TdF I will never forget watching Fabio Roscioli win 280km stage late in that years edition via solo breakaway. Now we get all these lame excuses about immune systems. I just checked and the remaining field in the Giro is no less than normal and even less than normal are withdrawing due to illness.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gregrowlerson
riders should have went home if they didn't want to ride the full stage today. it's been in the roadbook the entire 3 weeks and it was announced almost a full year ago. there's no excuse, today was a joke. imagine all the BS Vengi had to deal with today, moving the entire start 150k down the road. that must have been a complete logistical nightmare. no doubt there are people working for the race that had a much longer day because of that, making a fraction of the salary of the riders in the race.
 
THIS IS NOT ABOUT ONE STAGE! THIS IS NOT EVEN ABOUT ONE GIRO!

This is about decades of RCS doing a completely sh¡t version of what the ASO can do in their sleep.

Routes with regular ridiculous mid week transfers - Spain and France are far bigger than Italy and don't have this issue, yet this is a problem year in, year out at the Giro

Poor organisation of start/finish areas

Dangerous routes - when was the last time the TDF or Vuelta had riders voicing concerns?

This is the straw that broke the camel's back for the peloton and the Giro has had this coming for a long, long time.
 
How long have the transfers been known by the teams and risers? The RCS bubble isn't an excuse either. How does shortening the stage make any difference to that?
Yes, they should have acted sooner (15/20 years sooner, or at least several days) but they're well within their rights.

Rider welfare has been a sore point in the peloton for quite a while, and it's finally coming to a head. Just because this is unprecedented doesn't mean the riders are in the wrong - it means they've finally realised they can stand up for themselves.
 
I hope a good thing comes out of today and that’s the length of transfers.

It can’t be right that riders are having to spend more hours on the bus each day than actually riding a normal stage, and by that I don’t mean today’s shortened one.

I don’t often feel sorry for sportsmen/women, but not getting back to hotel until after 8pm then getting up early in the morning (some riders reported 5am/6am) nearly every day for 3 weeks would get pretty tiresome.
 
I hope a good thing comes out of today and that’s the length of transfers.

It can’t be right that riders are having to spend more hours on the bus each day than actually riding a normal stage, and by that I don’t mean today’s shortened one.

I don’t often feel sorry for sportsmen/women, but not getting back to hotel until after 8pm then getting up early in the morning nearly every day for 3 weeks would get pretty tiresome.
This ^

And its an issue almost unique to the Giro, year after year.
 
My faith in this forum is restored. This stage was known about months ago. The excuses put forth by the riders who led this protest are simply lame.

In the 1993 TdF I will never forget watching Fabio Roscioli win 280km stage late in that years edition via solo breakaway. Now we get all these lame excuses about immune systems. I just checked and the remaining field in the Giro is no less than normal and even less than normal are withdrawing due to illness.


In fairness to the modern riders, that 1993 route;

1115 JulySerre Chevalier to Isola 2000179.0 km (111.2 mi)Stage with mountain(s) Toni Rominger (SUI)
1216 JulyIsola to Marseille286.5 km (178.0 mi)Plain stage Fabio Roscioli (ITA)
1317 JulyMarseille to Montpellier181.5 km (112.8 mi)Plain stage Olaf Ludwig (GER)

Each stage started in the previous day's finish town, and that was the pattern for pretty much the whole race. It's something that GTs have really got away from in recent years, but in old Tour routes that used to be the norm. Personally I'd much rather they went back to the old way, but then the race wouldn't get as much money from each individual town?
 
"Majority/most of riders" has been mentioned in passing by posters and riders too, but that starting point needs to be checked. A simple majority shouldn't rule race decisions like this.

Soft pedaling a stage or segment can be an informal peloton concenus, but it is different to knock 100k off a stage.

More importantly, the Peloton who cried wolf looses credibility, when they have little other capital to make the safety changes that are necessary.
A GT with only 3 teams at the start line loses more credibility...
 
Last time I checked 12 degrees wasn't cold. I used to think pro cyclists were the toughest sportsmen. Not anymore. How pathetic this world is becoming, using some virus as an excuse to act like an entitled bunch of ***.

That depends on where you live. Valverde has said anything under 20 degree is cold (and I happen to agree with him). However he lives in the south east of Spain (a desert). On the other hand he loves racing when the temperatures are in the upper 20's to mid 30's and is ok with temps in the high 30's. Many riders from northern Europe have issues with that kind of heat. So what someone considers hot or cold just depends on where you happen to live.
 
In fairness to the modern riders, that 1993 route;

1115 JulySerre Chevalier to Isola 2000179.0 km (111.2 mi)Stage with mountain(s)Toni Rominger (SUI)
1216 JulyIsola to Marseille286.5 km (178.0 mi)Plain stageFabio Roscioli (ITA)
1317 JulyMarseille to Montpellier181.5 km (112.8 mi)Plain stageOlaf Ludwig (GER)

Each stage started in the previous day's finish town, and that was the pattern for pretty much the whole race. It's something that GTs have really got away from in recent years, but in old Tour routes that used to be the norm. Personally I'd much rather they went back to the old way, but then the race wouldn't get as much money from each individual town?
Bingo! The TDF still does this with a lot of their mid week stages.
 

TRENDING THREADS