Riders FURIOUS after Team Time Trial in the Dark | Vuelta a Espana 2023 Stage 1 

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Since 2015, the Vuelta TTT organisers have learned that sand is not road, rain is a possible weather condition and it gets dark at the end of the day. It’s progress I guess 😂

Supertuck =unsafe. Riding at night during a thunderstorm=no problem.

Unbelievable how much the UCI touts safety and then the commissaries don’t see any issue with this, with the number of crashes and the risk present it’s insane that they still went forward with this at night

And the UCI said: Let there be light, and the bikes were light, very light, but the darkness prevailed.

Remco cracks me up. He never fails to let us know exactly how he feels. In this case, he’s 100 percent correct. This shit was easily fixed

I tuned in late and thought there was a problem with the GCN+ video or my computer display when I saw how dark it was. The organizers should be ashamed.

If only there was a way to predict the periods of light and darkness within a 24 hour cycle.

The Jumbo were like, there is no point of taking any risk here, we’ll get’em later. 😂

I live in barcelona. It has been 3 days they announce rain precisely at that date so they had time to plan for the worst. heavy storm rain after a heatwave.

Felt so dangerous... Even for the ones watching at home it was too much.

Zero respect for the riders from the organizers of the race. For me it was the first time ever seeing cycling at night. Ridiculous.

Bros mopping the wet starting ramp under the heavy rain 💀

Since watching his interview with LR and his RU-vid channel, I have become a big fan of Remco. I am glad he expressed how he felt about the race conditions. Completely careless to have it so late in the day. And that start ramp! 🙄

It’s a disgrace that the organizers didn’t cancel or at the very least neutralize gc. Imagine if Roglic, Jonas, or Remco crashed out of the race on the first stage because of these conditions.

Remco and the other riders have every right to be upset. Pouring rain, lightning, and half the teams starting in the dark. This stage was way too dangerous, and I am usually the last person to say that. It should have been cancelled after the first lightning strike.

Jumbo Visma did exactly right. They rode to not have a crash and not crashing for them was a win. In those conditions not crashing for any team was a win. I don't know how the 'winners' can celebrate it though as the only reason they won was because the weather and light were far more favourable when they raced. The organisers need shooting though for sending these teams into very dangerous conditions that are almost going to guarantee crashes.

This is why the Tour de France is the main event. The vuelta got lucky they didn’t loose some big names to crashes.

It's so surreal seeing a Vuelta stage in darkness like that.

Whoever organized this should be punished.

Before the stage even started I thought "wouldnt it be dark for the last teams?" and thats exactly what happend. No idea how the orginiganisers didnt think about that...

Wow. It was today?? Can't believe I missed it. Ty Lanterne for the summary.

Keeping it real. The only highlights worth watching!

Lightning is not dangerous in a city full of high buildings (on a open road lined by trees or a mountain it's something else), but in a thunderstorm there are usually also wind gusts. And the sunset miscalculation is simply inexcusable. It's only doable if you put floodlights along the entire circuit. I think they did that once during a very short opening prologue in the Giro.

So the race organizers weren’t aware that it gets dark at night?

I was just in front of where the ineos rider crashed. He stayed on the ground for a very long time. It was heartbreaking to watch. I believe the organizers were so concerned with the heat that they forgot it could be raining and dark.

Oh… that ramps gives me the cold sweats..😊

Every day, in every way, I love Remco more and more. So good to actually have a “personality” in the Peleton!

I was watching the race on GCN and when Remco took the complaining gesture, the commentator said something like, 'it can be frustrating but it's part of the game', and I thought it was ridiculous. Apart from the safety issue, I don't think it's fair for those who started later in the race with less visibility and more rain drops.

I'm surprised the teams didn't make a huge issue of it beforehand. The first teams finished while still light, and the last teams started when it was nearly dark. Those later teams had a huge disadvantage. Did the teams starting later protest this in the weeks/months before ?

I believe that JV had a puncture between the start and the first time check, the whole team had to wait because of that. Most likely that is the reason they were outside the top ten (I believe 32 seconds behind on DSM)

CPA on a holiday …. Remco had the hot take “they should know it’s dark at night”

This is scandalous, 2 riders died recently, but Vuelta making it as dangerous as possible, great job UCI.

The big problem for this TTT was the schedule but it was closer from being right than it looked The INTENTION was to have the top couple of teams ride around in the twilight, AFTER sunset. Thing is they should've gone safer and aim for the final teams to ride around under the sunset, then even with rain it would've been mostly fine.

They should've neutralised the stage once the conditions had so obviously deteriorated, DSM declared the winners and everyone given the same time. Forcing riders to take huge risks that could end their participation in the Vuelta minutes into the event is ridiculous. After seeing what happened to De Plus no wonder Jumbo appeared hugely relieved that they all survived the stage. The best team in the world finish 11th and look like they're celebrating!

What a day! Thanks for braving the weather and bringing us this great analysis.

I was nervous as heck watching this TT. Blows my mind that these guys can average 50km/h in those conditions

This stage was a joke.

Rain is rain, but the idea of setting the starting time so late ended up being a disaster. And when planning it they simply have to take into consideration ''What if it rains and that makes it extra dark?'' It really is a scandal. But lesson learned hopefully.

Crazy circumstances, but the finish line demeanour difference between Remco and Primoz was epic

Jonas had a puncture and in the Danish interview after he said that they would only wait for him and Primoz

This seems like a winter post work training ride. Or commute. Or in the trainer because it's raining. Excellent choice by the organizers👌

Tuning in to catch the latest variant of the Vingegaard pronunciation.

I was at crash corner (about 2km in). That TTT was ridiculous. White residue (summer oils) came to the surface making painted markings even more slippery. Once the sky darkened it was like a pre-dawn winter group ride in the rain, but a TTT ride. The last 3 teams were literally in the dark and the street lighting was pretty much nonexistent.

This is how I watch the Vuelta. My man Lantern Rouge🎉🎉

Epic race. The LV organisers really wanted them to suffer like commoners like us during our rides.

these guys are chads who had to go in later, and just barely missed the time. thats why sports and sportsmanship, and spirit in so great. they still trying their best.

I live in Barcelona, it was weird to see that it was dark already at 8pm (when final teams started taking off). During the summer, it starts being dark around 21:30. The other unlucky thing is that it wasn’t raining for the whole summer.

I'd be interested in Patrick's take on this compared to cricket regulations which are quite strict in terms of light levels. If this was a cricket match the umpire would be out with a light meter, or flood lights would be switched on way earlier. Otherwise it would be clear case of "play stopped due to bad light".

The new glow in the dark jerseys are gonna be awesome tho😂

What the hell is this shit. While I am biased as a Jumbo Visma fan, this is a pathetic way to start a grand tour, how do you have a premier stage race start off with this absolute travesty. With the variable conditions and up to 30 secs up for grabs for the gc leaders its a wonder we didn't see more crashes. Ineos being down a rider for the rest of the tour is a shame, and for what gain? Really pathetic display from the race organizers. Anyways great to see you guys covering the vuelta and I'm hoping to see a solidly exciting tour going forwards :)

Aero tuck is dangerous while riding in dark wet road at 40kph is not dangerous, I love you UCI.

It was nothing but a goat rope. The teams that went out in the dark had it worse. Remco and all the other riders had every right to be pissed off if you tryed to push it you would've just ended up on the ground . Who ever thought doing a prolog into darkness on a rainy night was not to smart. Sure weather can cause issues. But this was sad. The teams you thought would win went towards the end but it was so bad they couldn't go fast at all. And city streets in the rain are ice skating rings.

Vuelta does this like every year and people still act surprised :D But i am glad people are speaking out this year.

At what time of the day were the last teams starting? Storms can darken the sky a lot, but the last shots look like it was just super late in the day? Why?

The Vuelta organizers failed to understand that Darkness occurs late in the evening.

Stage is done. No going back and fixing the results of this disaster of a stage. The sheer fact along people are DNF/DNS with tame pavement touches before they are facing a road stage is crazy and puts it into perspective how badly the organizers messed this up. They should at the very least allow all riders to start tomorrow’s stage regardless of finish condition. Going to be tricky to see how this gets penned into the rule book though. Since I don’t see an outright blanket no nighttime racing allowed, that a lot of people are proposing, being added. And I don’t foresee nothing being added in the rule book as a result of this disaster that had way too many wrong variables.

Ridiculous. A joke, and really shows there is no care given to the riders who risk it. Just need money in pockets.

The sunset time in Barcelona is 20:35 after that starts the twilight. I think this was mostly a build up on the clouds, or am I missing something. The footage seems quite dark..

Organisers obviously never heard of the well-lit Singapore F1 night race!

so ridiculous these aren’t the conditions for bicycle racing. This is like NASCAR racing on a road course in Chicago.

I see Jumbo has Primoz with the 21 bib and Jonas with 28. Seems right to me.

Eternally Sunshine in a spotless mind! AY CARAMBA🙈🙉🙊

Unbelievable to see riders race in complete darkness.

🤣 I love how the helicopter shot of SQS was just an almost pitch black road.

Don't forget, Camera images making it more light then it is, in real life it was even more dark. And that with rain spatting on your goggles from the riders in front of you, and that with 8-9 bars in the tyres taking corners BrrerrRRRRbbBrrr

Why start that late? Even without the rain, there is no reason to start that late in the day. This was so dangerous for the riders, the last several teams were racing in the dark. They couldn't even see where they were going. I don't know how involved the UCI is in these races, but lately the race organizers are confusing danger with excitement. Watching riders crash and get injured, does not make a race more exciting.

Riding a ttt with 9 riders is sketchy enough as it is. Riding in the rain and dark is just stupid. When making money and getting tv coverage is more important than rider safety! Rain could work but in the dark is just plain stupid. Surely they understand when the sun goes down?

Without tail and head lights? How did they manage to not get traffic tickets 😮

Viva La Vuelta Espana 2023 Viva Lanterne Rouge

Road disc for the win in the wet lol. IYKYK.

Patrick what's your thoughts of how the riders could get a strong functional riders union to say to the organizers. not gonna happen you waited all day and now it's dark raining with a gloss painted launch ramp that's almost a full post code long then a 45* turn onto a bike path

It’s embarrassing how far the vuelta is behind the Tour de France and the giro

Most of the crashes were not in the dark. Get some wet weather tyres or something or use normal road bikes if a TT bike can't go brake and go around corners in the wet when ridden by pro's.

With how much time he's spent on the ground the last few years, I can't believe Roglic stayed on his bike this entire stage.

Put lights on the bikes if it's dark, ride with grippier tyres if it's wet or even do it on a road bike for the better handling. It's a race, conditions aren't always going to be perfect.

They should divide the time gaps by at least a factor of 3 to lesson the impact of this travesty on the race. Brutal call to run it so late in these conditions.

let me tell you listillo that the organization of la vuelta has been rewarded by doing better than the tour and the giro. Being original in the stages and giving more show in recent years than the tour(not this year)and the giro was getting boring to rage. What has happened has been something very unexpected, a very strong storm that darkened the city when it is daytime in Barcelona normally at that time.

Keep youre eyes on Cian in this vuelta !!!!!!!! Still verry young but so talented ! And most importand a extremely nice guy ....

Total shambles. Again a total absence of professionalism from organisers and uci. Imagine someone was seriously injured

Rain happens. So does bloody nighttime and some of those streets didn’t even have lighting. Bad decision to have guaranteed uneven conditions for later starters.

Jonas said they were glad to get through in what they thought was an okay time given the conditions and Jonas' puncture

Nice of the organizers to put lifeguards on the course

At least if you have the red jersey, they won't notice you are bleeding

Remco is right. This is bullshit, unbelievable that they made the riders to ride in these conditions, specially the group of favorites.

Horrible stage conditions. Im no geologist, but even i can ask google when dusk will occur and plan my cycling accordingly. Gino Mader is rolling in his grave.

Why would they do it so late? I don't get that?

I watch cycling only when there is chaos 😂

Having some broken glass strewn about would really make this exciting.

Salut j'ai une petite question. Comment à tu accrocher ta base au Playseat ? Unique petit souci que je n'ai pas encore su régler haha

Only the Vuelta....watching racers navigate in the dark in a ttt. Guess better than a bunch sprint😮😮

to be brutally honest, this looks like a joke. time trialling in the wet is not the easiest but in the dark with your team mates around you just isn't funny.

lol you really think Vingegaard would be there to help Roglic^^

I used to commute by bike in the city on 2 inch wide Kevlar slicks in all types of weather and never had a problem, except once while rolling over a large patch of ice. Of course, I wasn't riding at pro TTT speeds, either (only 12-18 mph). I wonder how much tire compound and tread design would affect speed and traction on bikes. Because auto racing teams change tires constantly, depending on the weather and track surface.

Just walked the final climb of Stage 2, definitely under estimated… it’s very wet with leaves on the ground making it very slippery. Wasn’t fun walking can’t imagine it on a bike.

On the TV you could barely see anything for the glare of motorbike lights through the rain. It was a truly disappointing start to La Vuelta, especially when compared to the first day of the TdF this year. As it was a TTT, there was little at stake, other than rider safety of course and spectator enjoyment. The normal excitement of speed and control skills through the city streets was a non-starter really. It was more about keeping the bikes vertical and staying off the white lines and somehow avoiding puddles. Maybe they should have had "nobbly tyres" for grip and a bit of old school interest... Obviously, the weather is what it is. This was the first day of rain for many weeks and prior to that it would have been very hot. Anyway, the main issue seems to have been insufficient light level for rider safety. On that point, the "race" was shambolic and hopefully it may serve to not repeat such stupidity in the future.

My first thought back when I heard they were going to have this at twilight.

I just can’t believe the fact that they didn’t turn on the street lights - it’s unbelievable

Finally UCI will have pros riding with mandatory lights

UCI and la Vuelta organisers Racing in thunder & Lightning whilst it’s getting dark is not on. Very dangerous.