Strade Bianche organizer on the toughness of course: "Everyone knows this isn’t why Van Aert and Van der Poel are skipping the race"

Saturday was another memorable day. Things did not go quite as planned this year in the Strade Bianche, known for its beautiful views and spectacular course. The Italian spring race, also known as the sixth monument, was full of crashes. During the women's race, Kasia Niewiadoma crashed hard, and there were also numerous serious crashes in the men's race. Organizer Mauro Vegni was heavily criticized, but the Italian is now fighting back, as can be read in Het Nieuwsblad.

"Yes, there were more crashes on Saturday than in other years," the 66-year-old Italian begins. "That is due to the condition of the gravel. It was very dry and dusty on this occasion, making it more dangerous. But the gravel roads are what the Strade Bianche is all about. This race is not too difficult or too dangerous. At least, not for real cyclists. Unfortunately, there are not many of them."

"It also has to do with the mentality of the riders," says the RCS boss, who has seen the peloton change in recent years. "In the past, the peloton had a moral code. If danger loomed, they warned each other. I have noticed that riders no longer want to try to warn each other of imminent danger. Nowadays, it is like the Romans expressed it in their time: mors tua vita mea, your death is my life."

Vegni believes that riders themselves are often the reason for crashes

But do the crashes only happen because of the terrain? The Italian has a definite answer: "Riders are taking more and more risks. That is part of cycling. But you can also take unnecessary risks. The equipment has also improved a lot. The progress made in the development of bicycles means that riders can go faster. Take disc brakes, for example; they can afford to brake later. But in a peloton, that leads to dangerous situations."

According to Vegni, who compares cycling to Formula 1, cycling is all about speed. "We are a sport that revolves around speed. Has Formula 1 reduced the speed of the cars to two hundred kilometers per hour, even though they can drive three hundred? No! They have taken measures to minimize the risk of fatal accidents. Cycling must do the same."

Read more below!

Van Aert and Van der Poel together in Strade Bianche

Vegni believes fewer top riders at the start is not a major problem

However, it wasn't just the route that was criticized; many also found the field of participants hugely disappointing. "Who's to say that Wout van Aert or Mathieu van der Poel won't be at the start again next year? Pogacar was there; that's all I needed. The race was discussed everywhere, from the New York Times to the BBC. And if Wout and Mathieu are staying away because the race has become longer or harder, then I want to think about that. But everyone knows that's not the reason."

And the additional loop, which made for an even tougher course, why was that? "Everyone forgets that the roads don't belong to the cyclists alone. In the previous course, I had to close off an important public road for two hours, causing traffic heading toward Rome to a standstill. By introducing this stretch, I was able to circumvent that problem," the Italian concludes his story.

Read also

Pogacar offers apologies to Pidcock and is brutally honest about himself despite Strade victory: "I was pretty sh*t"

Not Pogacar or Pidcock? Armstrong picks unexpected rider as the best in Strade Bianche

Course and results Paris-Nice 2025 | After tough stage 1 win, Merlier strengthens his status as the favorite for stage 2

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get every week the latest news about CYCLING in your inbox!

Subscribe