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Lorena Wiebes was disqualified from the women’s Giro d’Italia for<\/b> <\/b>a bike weight violation, just hours after winning the opening stage.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Dutchwoman, riding for Team SD Worx-Protime, had sealed the first maglia rosa – the leader’s pink jersey – of this year’s race by pipping Italian Elisa Balsamo and Irish rider Lara Gillespie to the finish line in Ravenna.<\/p>\n
But in a statement on Saturday night, race organisers said 27-year-old Wiebes, who won the Giro points classification in 2025, had been kicked out of the race for “use of a bicycle not in compliance with the regulations, specifically failing to meet the minimum weight requirements”.<\/p>\n
Lidl-Trek’s Balsamo was awarded the stage win and will start Sunday’s second stage in the maglia rosa. <\/p>\n
Team SD Worx-Protime said it was “stunned” by the “exceptionally harsh penalty” imposed on Wiebes.<\/p>\n
According to the jury, the bike weighed 6.78kg, just below the UCI’s established lower limit of 6.8kg.<\/p>\n
“The team has serious doubts about the bike weight checks during the Giro d’Italia Women,” Team SD Worx-Protime said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“For instance, there was a weight difference of more than 50g between the first and second weighing of Wiebes’ bike after the stage finish in Ravenna.<\/p>\n
“Wiebes has raced on this bike multiple times throughout this season, and it has always been assembled in the same manner. With this bike, she has secured numerous victories. <\/p>\n
“Moreover, earlier this year, after several races that Wiebes won by a significant margin in the sprint, the bike was weighed by the UCI jury. <\/p>\n
“On each occasion, the bike’s weight was found to be well above the 6.8kg threshold. The team therefore cannot comprehend how the same bike could now fall below the weight limit.”<\/p>\n
Balsamo said: “Of course, it is not the way I want to win but this is a decision of the jury. <\/p>\n
“In any case, it’s an honour to wear the maglia rosa and I am looking forward to trying to defend it in tomorrow’s stage.”<\/p>\n
The 139km opening stage from Cesenatico, which ended with three laps of a 13.2km city circuit, featured multiple crashes.<\/p>\n
Those included one after just 35km, as a result of which Movistar’s British rider Cat Ferguson was forced to abandon the race. <\/p>\n
Her team later said the 20-year-old, making her Giro debut, had been taken to hospital for medical evaluation.<\/p>\n
Sunday’s second stage – 156km between Roncade and Caorle – will again suit the sprinters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n