Vingegaard defends role in Giro neutralisation: 'For once we could stand together'

Following the first of four laps of the 16.3km circuit, Vingegaard dropped back to hold rolling discussions with the race jury. Shortly afterwards, the jury announced that the clock would stop for the general classification when the peloton took the bell.

The stage was won by Fredrik Dversnes Lavik (Uno-X Mobility) as the break upset the sprinters, while Vingegaard rolled home in the peloton, safely conserving his maglia rosa as the Giro reaches its third and final rest day.

“I think I had more time with the red car [the race jury] than my own car in the race today,” Vingegaard said in the mixed zone afterwards. “We all think as riders that maybe this was not the most safe circuit to race on, and therefore we were talking in the bunch. We agreed to do something, so I went to the red car. They were really listening to us today, so I think we as riders should also thank the jury.”

When Vingegaard arrived in the press conference truck following the podium ceremonies, he downplayed the idea that he had acted as the padrone of the Giro expressly because he had taken the pink jersey at Pila on Saturday.

“I think I would have done it anyway even without the pink jersey,” Vingegaard said. “But maybe when the pink jersey does it, it has a bit more power in some way. During the race when we hit the laps, we realised it’s probably not the most safe course. 

“We were speaking in the bunch. I don’t think you could see it on television, because normally, you don’t see how it is, but we went to the jury and the organisation and spoke with then. They were really friendly with us, they listened to what we had to say, and we should thank them.”

The details of the Milan circuit were revealed weeks before the Giro began, and it does not appear that any issues had been flagged before the stage, which was run off in warm and dry conditions. Once on the circuit, however, Vingegaard and other riders decided to seek a discussion with the commissaires.

“I think in general the road here was not the very best,” he said. “There were a lot of potholes, basically the whole time. There was basically not a moment where I was feeling safe about trying to grab my bottle or trying to take a gel, and there were a lot of tram tracks. It was very bumpy going over them.”

Vingegaard insisted that he was speaking on behalf of the rest of the peloton when he approached the race jury during the stage, though he declined to name the other riders with whom he had discussed the conditions.

“Sure, we were speaking with some riders, but I think that’s something I will keep to myself,” he said. “I will take the responsibility of going to the car, but we speak within the bunch, and we take care of each other and I think that something we showed today that for once we could stand together a bit.”

Vingegaard’s role in the discussions was the subject of some criticism on RAI’s Processo alla Tappa post-stage analysis show and he will inevitably be the focus of much coverage in the Italian newspapers on Monday morning, but he pushed back against the idea that the riders should have outlined their concerns beforehand rather than doing so during the stage.

“Well, I don’t think it’s our responsibility as riders,” he said. “I think it’s more the responsibility of the UCI or the organisation, and we also have our CPA group, so I think it should be a mix of everyone. 

“The safety in cycling is in everybody’s interest – not only the riders, but also the UCI. I don’t think we can just point fingers at each other. I think everyone has the responsibility.”