Giro d’Italia boss wants sanctions for Jumbo-Visma and EF Pro Cycling over coronavirus response
The race director has suggested he might not invite the teams back next year
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The director of the Giro d’Italia says he wants sanctions for Jumbo-Visma and EF Pro Cycling over their response to the coronavirus situation during the race.
Jumbo-Visma withdrew from the Giro after the first rest day when their leader Steven Kruijswijk tested positive for Covid-19, while EF Pro Cycling raised concerns about the pandemic and suggested the race be brought to a close early.
But race director Mauro Vegni says the teams should be punished by the UCI for their responses and that he might not invite both squads back next year.
While Jumbo-Visma wasn’t the only team to pull out of the race due to coronavirus, as Mitchelton-Scott also withdrew after a number of positives in the team, Vegni had given approval for the latter to leave the race.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vegni said: “I want sanctions for Jumbo-Visma and EF. If anyone thinks they can infringe the rights or duties of WorldTour teams, then I will also consider myself 'free' from the obligation to invite them. What happened is also a matter for the UCI License Commission."
Vegni also faced a dispute from the riders’ union the CPA on stage 19, as the peloton demanded the stage be shortened.
In the latest interview, Vegni suggested a “new mentality and a new union” was needed to better represent the views of the riders.
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Despite all the uncertainty, the Giro d’Italia made it to Milan on Sunday as Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) was crowned the winner.
>>> Vuelta a España 2020: Check out Chris Froome’s one of a kind Pinarello Dogma F12
Vegni said: “This year feels like ten and it's definitely the most difficult race I've ever organised. There were lots of worries and lots of things to resolve but we always did it with the desire to continue and to reach Milan."
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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
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