Eurosport/MAX
The world of professional cycling is often a rather unique place. Take, for instance, the rider who stopped mid-way through the men’s Olympic road race in order to pop into a cafe and meet with fans while the race was taking place. Or the several riders who have lost races in recent years because they misjudge the finish line and celebrate too early.
As a longtime fan of the sport, it can often be embarrassing to explain these types of scenarios to outsiders. And it’s only getting worse. The most-recent issue that seems to plaguing the peloton is the face that they don’t seem to know the race route.
Riders Go The Wrong Way In Pro Cycling Race For Second Time In Two Weeks
In February’s Volta Ao Algarve in Portugal, Italian star Filippo Ganna appeared to win the first stage of the one-week race after the overwhelming majority of the field went the wrong way at the final roundabout. Ganna then cruised to victory in a sprint, only to have the victory taken away when officials deemed the stage null and void.
“I know that everyone took the wrong route, and I took the right one,” Ganna told Eurosport of the finish. “You need to know the rules, and you need to know the course. In the past, I took the wrong route during the time trial, and because of that, I lost the race. Now it’s different, and I win.”
Sadly, just two weeks later, it happened again at the Faun-Ardèche Classic in France. A group of around 15 riders raced together inside the final kilometer only for several riders to go the wrong way at a roundabout, confusing not only themselves but also the cameramen covering the race.
📺 Some riders took wrong turn at roundabout inside final km at 🇫🇷 Faun-Ardeche Classic.pic.twitter.com/Jp8eiSHfDr
— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) March 1, 2025
The incident left 22-year-old Frenchman Roman Gregoire all alone to cross the line for an easy victory. Even Gregoire was stunned by the incident, shrugging his shoulders as he crossed the line with a smile on his face.
Not a great look for a sport that is already largely considered an afterthought!