2023-08-06 13:23:49
The program was already loaded, but a new obstacle stood in the way of the peloton. The road race for the World Cycling Championships was interrupted for a long time by four protesters after 79 kilometers of racing.
According to the images of the realization, the demonstrators, whose demands were not immediately known, blocked the road in the open countryside, forcing the organizers to neutralize the race which had left Edinburgh in the morning. Stopped at 12:21 p.m., the race started again around 1:15 p.m., after nearly an hour’s break.
Activists first stopped the breakaway, which had taken a lead of more than six minutes. Without a headset, the peloton was not directly aware of the situation but the riders finally dismounted. Some have moved into their team cars. The stars of the peloton like Remco Evenepoel, Tadej Pogacar, Wout Van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel or Julian Alaphilippe were reduced to waiting, chatting with each other and even posing for selfies.
“Alaf'” notably gave a thumbs up for a selfie with the voice of Radio Tour, Sebastien Piquet. Unusual scenes have multiplied on Scottish roads, between runners sitting on the road or forced to shift to let a police car pass. UCI President David Lappartient, visibly relaxed despite the situation, even spoke to the riders to keep them informed of developments. The gaps were taken into account once the race has left in the direction of Glasgow where the finish will be judged.
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