The 2026 Lombardia started 5 minutes late and with an important message launched by the riders to the world. Remco Evenepoel took the microphone and explained the reasons behind the group's decision to the spectators present in Bergamo, while CPA world union president Adam Hansen reiterated the concept on X.

As riders, we are united against the unnecessary risks to which our lives are exposed.

Just this week, several incidents have occurred involving vehicles on race routes. Two riders crashed after hitting a motorcycle traveling in the opposite direction on the race course. Fortunately, both got away with some cuts and bruises, but it could have been much worse.

This summer, a life was tragically taken (the reference is to the death of Finlay Tarling, ed.) precisely because of this type of negligence. We will not tolerate it anymore.

Riders race at high speed with minimal protection and we rely on race organizers to ensure road safety. This responsibility is not being met.

We call on the UCI to intervene so that race organizers take responsibility and act. This means serious and open dialogue between riders, organizers, and the UCI, leading to concrete changes in how race routes are secured and managed.

After five minutes, we resumed racing as usual. We did not want to compromise the running of the race, but only to demonstrate what riders can do when they unite on a single front.

We love this sport. We respect race organizers. We want to race at our best and provide a spectacle to our fans. But, most importantly, we want to return home safe to our loved ones.