'An exceptionally severe sanction' – Lorena Wiebes's team 'astonished' after sprinter kicked off Giro d'Italia Women for underweight bike

Lorena Wiebes was disqualified from the Giro d’Italia Women after her bike was found to be below the UCI’s minimum weight limit during the first stage of the race. The Dutch sprinter initially crossed the line first in a bunch sprint in Ravenna, but the race jury ruled that her bike weighed 6.78kg, just 0.02kg under the mandated 6.8kg minimum. Consequently, the stage victory and the first pink jersey were awarded to Elisa Balsamo of Lidl-Trek, who finished second. Wiebes’s team, SD Worx-Protime, expressed profound surprise and frustration over the decision, questioning the accuracy and consistency of the UCI’s weighing procedures. They pointed out that the same bike, with an identical setup, had been used by Wiebes throughout the season without issue, including multiple victories. The team highlighted that the bike had previously been weighed by UCI officials and consistently met the minimum weight requirement, making the sudden underweight finding difficult to comprehend. The team also criticised the severity of the sanction, arguing that the minimal weight difference would have offered negligible advantage, particularly in a flat sprint stage where Wiebes won by a clear margin. SD Worx-Protime emphasised their long-standing presence and professionalism in women’s cycling and stated they had no explanation for the discrepancy in the bike’s weight on this occasion. The disqualification was enforced under UCI regulations that prohibit the use of non-compliant equipment. Elisa Balsamo, who was declared the stage winner following Wiebes’s expulsion, acknowledged the unusual circumstances of her victory. While she expressed that winning in this manner was not her preference, she accepted the jury’s decision and looked forward to defending the maglia rosa in the forthcoming stages. The incident has sparked debate about the enforcement of equipment regulations and the potential implications for riders and teams in elite women’s cycling events.