'It was too risky' - Avalanche risk on Finestre forced RCS Sport's hand at Giro Women

The tappone of the Giro Women was due to finish in Sestriere after in the ascent of the Colle delle Finestre, but the decision was taken to shorten the stage on advice from the authorities that oversee the Orsiera-Rocciavrè national park.

The riders were already climbing the Finestre when RCS Sport communicated that the finish line would now be situated a kilometre from the summit of the ascent. The descent of the Finestre and the final haul to Sestriere were removed from the route.

“We decided to stop it because an ice sheet had loosened from the mountain. It was 150m in length and it had split into three parts, and authority for the national park blocked the race on us because they said there was a risk of an avalanche,” Bellino told Eurosport. 

“It was dangerous because there was the risk that the ice would create an avalanche on the last 150m of the mountain pass on the route. So we interrupted the race, and now the team cars will go through one by one, and then we’ll have the podium ceremony here in Sestriere.”

Bellino insisted that there was no other alternative but to finish the race a kilometre from the top of the Finestre. Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) won a four-rider sprint to claim the stage, but Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) came home with her to retain the pink jersey with one stage remaining.

“It was too risky because they told us there was a risk of avalanches. We had to take a decision, and we decided it was better not to take the risk because it was very dangerous,” Bellino said.

“For us, it’s a big disappointment because we worked so hard to create this beautiful stage and to have a nice result. But the temperature had risen a lot in the last two hours, and this ice sheet was unstable, which was dangerous. It was a big problem for us, but we had to make sure the riders and the caravan were safe.”

Taking a bike race to over 2,000m above sea level is always a risk at this time of the year, though the men’s Giro has safely negotiated the Finestre in May five times since 2005, including on the final weekend of last year’s race. 

Bellino said that word of the unstable ice sheet on the Finestre had only reached the organisation shortly before the Giro was due to reach that point. The rapid decision to shorten the stage had shades of the Tour de France’s abrupt stoppage atop the Col de l’Iseran in 2019. On that occasion, however, the decision was taken not to award stage victory to the first man to the top, Egan Bernal, even though his effort did count towards putting him into the yellow jersey.

“It absolutely wasn’t predictable,” Bellino said. “The roads were clear and everything was perfect, and we were only made aware at 15.30, so we informed everyone immediately.”

Van der Breggen is now on the cusp of a record-equalling fifth overall victory at the Giro Women. She goes into the final stage to Saluzzo with a lead of 50 seconds on her compatriot Vollering.