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Giro d'Italia: Riders approve safety measures for Saturday's Crostis descent (+ scary video)

Safety netting, crash mattresses and marshals will be in place to hopefully ensure safe day for all

This Saturday’s Stage 14 of the 2011 Giro d’Italia, which features a tricky descent of the Crostis ahead of a summit finish on the Zoncolan, is set to go ahead as planned after riders approved safety measures put in place by race organisers. In the wake of Wouter Weylandt’s death last week, there had been concerns that the descent was too dangerous for the peloton to tackle, but safety netting and crash mattresses have now been installed at specific points on the road.

The Gazzetta dello Sport reports that senior riders Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali, David Millar, Stefano Garzelli and Dario Cioni met with Giro d’Italia race director Angelo Zomegnan and its technical director, Mauro Vegni, and were shown a video outlining some of the safety measures that have been put in place on the way down from Monte Crostis, included in the race for the first ever time this year.

Confirmation that the riders had agreed to the changes made to the descent came yesterday from Gianni Bugno, president of the Association of Professional Cyclists (CPA), who told the Gazzetta: “The parcours is safe. I’ve seen the photos, the others have seen the video. Everything has been secured and protected with nets and mattresses, but I do wonder if they could miss out the descent and save a bit of money.”

Some of the new safety measures are shown in the video below – the link was posted to Twitter by Italian journalist Alberto Celani and it’s not clear whether this is the same as the one the riders saw – and it has to be said that even in a car the descent is white-knuckle stuff on what appears to be a pretty poor road surface, despite the Gazzetta reporting that some sections have been resurfaced in recent weeks and others cleaned once the winter’s snow cleared.

Bearing in mind that the riders will be travelling at speeds well in excess of those the car is moving at, and that those competing for the stage win or the general classification will be looking to squeeze every possible second out of the descent, and some pretty hair-raising riding is in prospect.

Moreover, the climb to the summit of the Crostis will have sapped energy and riders will be cold and tired – the very conditions that are likely to lead to errors of judgment being made and reaction times to be slowed. We imagine those in the autobus will be taking things much more gently – it could be a day in which the time limit is dispensed with.

Besides the nets and mattresses, which have also been put in place on the false flat section after the summit of the Crostis before the descent proper begins, there will also be five mountain rescue teams and a helicopter on standby, with one man positioned every 200 metres, plus 1,500 volunteer marshals.

Enzo Cainero, president of the stage organising committee, said, “I would never have allowed myself to run risks in the descent of the Crostis.”
 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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10 comments

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dave atkinson | 12 years ago
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i wouldn't do it again  39

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hairyairey | 12 years ago
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Dave, there's no way I'd drive that road in the fog I'd go back to the cafe at the top of the Aubisque!

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handlebarcam | 12 years ago
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It would be pointless if this was the Tour de France, because the ITV4 coverage has, in the last few years, always cut to advertisement breaks shortly after the leaders crested the top of each climb. Very annoying, although from the way the Liggwen signed off on the commentary, I assumed it was at the insistence of the US TV networks. Eurosport, if you can get it, and the live Giro feed from the Gazzetta dello Sport web site have shorter, and better timed, ad breaks.

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flyin4alivin | 12 years ago
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 39 I see the road surface is crap, I see the drop off is deadly, I see how narrow it is, but I don't see the point. Racing and descending at 100 kmh within 12 inches of another rider is risky enough. We all know racing is dangerous and the thrill of a brush with danger is part of our addiction to it. But, making it more dangerous with a poor road choice seems ridiculous. Is there not a safer road for the racers, or, is this just some kind of twisted italian gladiatorial spectacle? I certainly hope no one gets hurt, or worse.

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hairyairey | 12 years ago
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I can imagine this on the descent of the Col D'Aubisque towards the Col Du Solour. It's about half a mile down on one side of the road it scares the s**t out of me just to drive down it (I cycle well away from the edge!). I think this is necessary now because when the eyes of the world are on the sport of cycling unnecessary risks shouldn't be taken.

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dave atkinson replied to hairyairey | 12 years ago
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hairyairey wrote:

I can imagine this on the descent of the Col D'Aubisque towards the Col Du Solour. It's about half a mile down on one side of the road it scares the s**t out of me just to drive down it (I cycle well away from the edge!). I think this is necessary now because when the eyes of the world are on the sport of cycling unnecessary risks shouldn't be taken.

Damn straight, that road is proper scary. Last time I did it was in the car, in the fog, with the fog exactly the same colour as the road surface. Knowing what the drop is like and not being able to see it only made it worse  1

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Karbon Kev | 12 years ago
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Too late after one rider has died, always the same, always too late .....

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andyspaceman | 12 years ago
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(Hemor)rhoiders - referring to the state they'll be in after riding on that surface for too long!

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dave atkinson | 12 years ago
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that's where we're to. cheers drive.

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Chuffy | 12 years ago
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"roiders will be cold and tired"
Hmmmm, Freudian drug reference or a strong West Country accent?  39

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