'Let's end this Giro d'Italia and then open a debate on where cycling is going nowadays': Vegni speaks out after stage 16 is shortened

Giro d'Italia race organiser Mauro Vegni says a debate about how cycling is run is necessary after the queen's stage of the Giro d'Italia 2021 was shortened.

Vegni, who was enraged after the Giro peloton refused to ride a full stage due to poor weather last year, is once again irked over how much power riders have when it comes to riding races.

Speaking after stage 16, Vegni told Italian broadcasters RAI that if riders are going to make a decision they need to stick to them, saying riders "change their idea every five minutes" after team staff had apparently said they were happy to race the full stage.

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"Everything is okay," he continued, before adding that he wanted to speak to riders about making decisions after one has been made by the race organisers and team staff.

"Let's end this Giro, then let's open a debate on where cycling is going nowadays. I am happy to take part in it. The UCI...the wrong rules...cycling needs to be refounded. I'll stop here."

The queen stage was due to take in three mountain passes going over 2,000 metres in altitude. This included the Passo Fedaia, which would have been the race's highest point, as well as the Passo Pordoi and the Passo Giau.

In the end, they only raced up one of those three in the Giau, which became the new cima coppi. This, along with the other climb of La Crossetta, were the only climbs of the day with the race being cut from 212km to 153km.

Ineos Grenadiers' Egan Bernal extended his lead in the maglia rosa, riding away from his Giro rivals up the Passo Giau to finish alone, with time to spare to take off his rain jacket in order to proudly display his leader's jersey to the waiting fans.