Dutch cyclist Wiebes disqualified from Giro d'Italia Women after bike weighs too little

Dutch cyclist Lorena Wiebes has been disqualified from the Giro d'Italia Women, hours after winning the opening stage in Ravenna. Race organizers announced Saturday evening that Wiebes' bicycle did not meet the minimum weight requirement.

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Lorena Wiebes is being excluded from the Giro d'Italia Women after a breach of article 2.12.007 - 2.2: use of a bicycle that does not comply with the rules, specifically because it did not meet the minimum weight.

The 27-year-old rider's bike weighed 6.78 kilograms, falling 20 grams short of the 6.8-kilogram minimum. This violation of Article 2.12.007 - 2.2 led to her disqualification and the forfeiture of her stage victory, which was subsequently awarded to Italy's Elisa Balsamo of Lidl-Trek. Balsamo will also wear the leader's pink jersey in the second stage.

Wiebes' team, SD Worx, reacted with shock, labeling the decision an "unusually harsh penalty." The team stated they are "very skeptical about the weight control of the bikes" during the Giro d'Italia Women. They claim there was a 50-gram difference when the bike was weighed twice after the finish. SD Worx highlighted that Wiebes has used the same bike configuration successfully throughout the season and that it had previously passed UCI weight checks.

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The team is very skeptical about the weight control of the bikes during the Giro d'Italia Women.

Despite the team's protests, the organizers upheld the decision. The incident casts a shadow over the opening stage of the women's tour, raising questions about the strictness and consistency of equipment regulations in professional cycling.

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an unusually harsh penalty