Videos: Wrong-way peloton and accidental off-roading at Argentina's Vuelta a San Juan

Some of the world’s top riders have this week got their 2017 seasons off to a start at the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina – here's a couple of things we spotted on the highlights videos that we thought we'd share with you.

First up is the video above showing a bizarre finale to the opening stage which, with the Tour de San Luis disappearing from the calendar, has been elevated to UCI 2.1 status and is the Latin America country’s biggest race.

A late change to the run-in to the finish left some riders confused as to which way to go approaching the final kilometre when the road forked – and those at the front, including Trek-Segafredo sprinter Boy van Poppel, chose incorrectly.

He and his leadout went right, as did a number of other riders as well as the bike with the TV camera, while others, including stage winner Francesco Gaviria of Quick Step Floors, went left.

Those who had gone the wrong way could only watch as the rest of the peloton sped by, and they then had to clamber across grass and over the barriers to get to the finish itself.

The second incident happened towards the climax of Wednesday’s Stage 4, also won by Gaviria, as a rider from the Italian national team, working for sprinter Elia Viviani, finished his turn at the front of the group then promptly veered off-road, narrowly avoiding a parked car.

Keep watching to see chaotic scenes inside the final kilometre – with only the final few hundred metres having barriers, just before the speeding peloton gets to that point the road is thronged with spectators, putting themselves, and the riders, at risk.

After a shorter  than planned stage yesterday due to the head, Bauke Mollema of Trek-Segafredo leads heading into today's final stage.