Riders protest about safety at Tour de Luxembourg

Riders held an improvised protest during the opening kilometres of stage 2 of the Tour of Luxembourg on Wednesday, voicing their concerns about vehicles on the race route.  

After Tuesday's opening stage, highly respect Italian rider Jacopo Guarnieri (Groupama-FDJ) highlighted the dangers the riders faced on social media, revealing there were parked cars on both sides of the road in the final kilometres of the stage and even a bus stopped in the road on a fast descent with 4.5km to go.

He also revealed how teammate Ignatas Konovalovas found himself in open traffic and even had to stop at a traffic light after working early in the race. Television footage confirmed the presence of the vehicles on the race route.

Riders had apparently spoken to race organisers about the dangers out on the road before stage 2 and, when they encountered further problems, they stopped racing after 18km and demanded action.

After negotiations with race organisers and the UCI commissaries, the riders agreed to neutralise the 80km ride to Syren and then race the final 42km around Hesperang on the planned circuit. The race organisers announced a new stage start would be given in Syren. 

Riders had apparently spoken to race organisers about the dangers out on the road before stage 2 and, when they encountered further problems, they stopped racing after 18km and demanded action.

"Where's the UCI?" Guarnieri had written on social media on Tuesday. "They should fine the organisation for this. We don't want another heartbroken tweet about how you love the cyclists, we want protection from you. Where are the teams? You are paying us, how can you tolerate this kind of thing, yet again?"

Italy’s Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) won stage 1 of the race on Tuesday.