Roma Maxima and Strade Bianchi routes under threat from landslides
Decision on Pompeiana climb in Milan San Remo to made this week
With Italy in the midst of a wet winter, Italian race organisers RCS have been forced to content with adverse weather conditions to ensure that two of its flagship early-season races will go ahead as planned while also deliberating over the inclusion of the Pompeiana climb in this year's Milan San Remo. Landslides in Lazio and Tuscany are currently threatening roads that Strade Bianchi and Roma Maxima traverse and a decision on any changes is et to be made on Thursday.
While Stephan Roche was inducted into the Giro d'Italia Hall of Fame, as the 1987 winner, at a ceremony held at a hotel near the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland, RCS Sport’s technical director for cycling, Mauro Vegni, was in Italy occupied with the potential changes to the three races
There is a report from tuttobiciweb that Vegni and RCS will hold a decisive meeting at the Prefecture in Imperia regarding whether the Pompeiana will be included in the route. "The situation is very difficult, but I still believe," Vegni said.
Local authorities have refused permission for the climb due to safety concerns which has been compounded by mounting problems for Strade Bianche due to a landslide in Castelnuovo Beradenga, which will likely force the organisers to change the route.
The road causing headaches for RCS is currently closed as tuttobiciweb are suggesting that the likely scenario is for the affected stretch of road to be taken out and course lengthened by the inclusion of other roads.
There is a also a similar issue for Roma Maxima, which is held the day after Strade Bianchi, as another landslide has caused damage to roads the race will traverse. RCS are likely to make a similar decision of creating a deviation from the original route which is likely to slightly lengthen the race.
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