Heavy snow forecasted for Sunday meant that the sole mountain top finish was taken out of the race.
Stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico should have seen the peloton climb up Monte San Vicino, a 13-km long ascent, but this won't happen anymore, because of adverse weather conditions which led to the stage being cancelled. As a result, the riders will have a rest day on Sunday, with the race set to resume on Monday, when stage 6 is scheduled to take place between Castelraimondo and Cepagatti (210 kilometers).
Patrick Lefevere, Etixx – Quick-Step's CEO, welcomed the decision to apply the Extreme Weather Protocol for the queen-stage of the race: "This is an important step for cycling, because it's probably for the first time in the history of this sport that such a wise decision is taken before the start of a race, a decision which came as an agreement between all the stakeholders. I would also like to underline the courage of the race organizers who have agreed to cancel such an important stage and put the riders' safety first, ahead of any interest. Tirreno-Adriatico definitely sets an example for the future."
Photo credit: RCS SPORT
