If we're not on Candid Camera, we are certainly sitting in a theater watching a farce. What is happening in the world of cycling is now out of control: the first stage of the Volta ao Algarve has been cancelled, as evidenced by the organization's post at 18:34.

The summary of an incredible stage is that Filippo Ganna, the legitimate stage winner, pays for the blatant error of the organizers who did not adequately monitor a roundabout 600 meters from the finish line, allowing more than half the group to take the service road instead of the main road.

"I took the right road and won, in the past in a time trial I took the wrong one and lost" said Filippo Ganna after the finish line. The Piedmontese then boarded the Ineos bus that left the finish area, while team director Knees discussed with the jury. And Portuguese colleagues report that the Piedmontese rider did not want to mount the podium after the announcement of the stage cancellation.

Only one jersey was awarded, that of the best climber, which will be worn by Francisco Campos, the day's first breakaway rider.

And since we like clarity and linearity - while apologizing for our ignorance - we are waiting to know based on which article of the road race regulations the stage was cancelled and the victory taken away from Filippo Ganna. In the past, we recall, there were several cases where a route error occurred with the victory regularly assigned to the first rider who correctly crossed the finish line, the latest being Schelling at the 2023 Tour of Slovenia, ask Filippo Zana for information...

It is evident that the professional cycling world is experiencing a moment of profound confusion and those in charge have a duty to take immediate action, while the season is heating up.

"The president of the commissioners' panel has cancelled the stage. It is more than legitimate, right, natural and the best way to continue with the Volta ao Algarve. The organization has failed, the images are clear. We have a yellow flag that did not intervene in time. Cyclists are arriving at high speed, perhaps there should have been two controllers. The PSP (the Lusitanian police, ed) itself should have done its part, but from the cameras it is clear that it did not." explained to journalists the president of the Portuguese Cycling Federation, Cândido Barbosa, a former rider.

According to Portuguese newspapers, given the discontent of most teams, the organization decided to cancel the stage... So why not just go home, set up rollers in the living room and do a nice virtual race?

THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT. The Commissioners' Panel of the 51st Volta ao Algarve has decided to cancel the first stage of the race. As they approached the finish line in Lagos, the group split and a large number of riders took the wrong road, followed the support cars' deviation and missed the finish line.

"The Commissioners' Panel interpreted the regulations and, given what happened, decided to cancel the stage because it felt that sporting truth had not prevailed in the end. All technical information was clear that riders should go left at the last roundabout: the fact is that some of them took the right, in a lane parallel to the finish line. It was a wrong decision by the group, but it is clear that we did not do enough to prevent this result, which we deeply regret," explained Sérgio Sousa, director of Volta ao Algarve.

In light of the stage neutralization, the group will start Thursday for the 2nd stage of the Volta ao Algarve with the stopwatch reset. The stage connects Lagoa to Alto da Fóia (Monchique), covering 177.6 kilometers