'I think the riders went too far', says Giro organiser following stage 15 neutralisation

Stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia brought with it all sorts of drama, not least the successful escape of the breakaway that took victory six seconds before the sprinters. But earlier in the finishing laps, a GC neutralisation punctuated the race's momentum after appeals from rider spokesmen including Giulio Ciccone and maglia rosa Jonas Vingegaard.

"I think the riders went too far with what was said,” said Paolo Bellino, CEO of Giro organiser RCS Sport, speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport on the rest day that followed. “The final circuit in Milan was beautiful, very well designed, and not dangerous."

Vingegaard had explained after the stage that the riders saw the city-centre circuit as unsafe, with its many potholes, uneven surfaces and even tramlines.

"We really inspected every meter and we were also able to fully guarantee the safety of the riders," Bellino added, before expressing that the extent of the neutralisation – for the entire final lap, was another step too far, "It is my personal opinion, but we were also able to stop the times for the general classification five kilometres from the finish."