'Exceptionally violent winds' made decision to cancel Paris-Nice stage 6 'inevitable'
Plan to hold shor📖tened stage dashed by extreme g𒉰usts
Stage 6 of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Paris-Nice was cancelled due to what the race organisation 🐻described as “exceptionally violent winds” on the road to La Colle-sur-Loup in the south of France.
Reported gusts of up t𒁏o 100kph had informed an initial decision 🤡to shorten the stage to just 80km in length, with the peloton travelling by bus from Tourves to the new start in La Fontaine d'Aragon.
Following further discussion with local authorities, however, ASO announced shortly before 1pm local time that 🅷168澳洲5最新开奖结果:the stage had been cancelled altogether.
Paris-Nice will resume with stage 7 on Saturday.
The high winds also had an impact on Tirreno-Adriatico on Friday, with 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:stage 5 to S𒆙assotetto being shortened by 2.5km and the finish line moved down t🦩🦹he mountain.
“After reviewing several options for modifying the route and waiting for an improvement in weather conditions in the afternoon, the organisers of Paris-Nice have decided to cancel the 6th stage to preserve the safety o♈f the riders of the 81st edition, in agreement with local authorities,” read the race organiser's s♔tatement.
“The exceptionally violent winds, which notably caused several tree falls in the region, make the cancellation of the stage inevitable. As a result, sporting action will resume tomorrow from Nice for the 7th stage towards ꦜCol de la Couillole.”
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Pascal Chanteur, the CPA delegate at Paris-Nice, noted that the conditions fell u✃nder the Extreme Weather Protocol, and he was involved in the initial discussions to shorten the stage.
“There’s a protocol to follow in the event of extreme weather conditions, and the wind we have today, with gusts of almost 100kph near Draguignan, falls under it,” Chanteur said, according to L’Équipe. “All concerned parties decided to find a solution to this issue. A gust in the peloton could put dozens of riders on the🎶 ground and that’s not permissible.”
The initial solution saw the peloton sign on as normal in Tourves and performed a neutralised lap around the town before climbing 💜aboard their buses for the journey to the new start in La Fontaine d’Aragon.
Yellow jersey 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) had appeared enthusiastic about the possibilities offered by a shortene❀d stage.
“I think it’s going to be more explosive and more punchy,” he said. “🔥I like short stages. Short and sweet. Hard and you finish faster.”
Even then, however, some of his colleagues were unsure as to whether the stage could go ahead at all. 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) smiled when told that his compatriot Kasper Agre💜en reckoned he would train in simi𒉰lar conditions at home in Denmark.
“The problem is the gusts. If there are gusts of 100kph, I would never✤ go riding, not even in Denmark. Maybe Kasper Agreen could do it, but he’s a bit heavier than I am,” Vingegaard said.
“I am 60kg and I don’t have the weight💫 to stay on the bike in that situation. I think we have to think about our health first of all.”
By the time the peloton had reached La Fontaine d'ಌAragon by bus, the decision to cancel the stage had been taken.
Th♓e race resumes on Saturday, with Pogacar holding a lead of six seconds over David Gaudu, with Vingeg𝔍aard 46 seconds down in third place.
Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycl🦄ing since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of , published by Gill Books.