Confusion reigned and snow fell on the route of the Giro d’Italia’s stage 16 as riders stood firm in light of the extreme weather and eventually forced the day’s route to be shortened to 121 km.

The freezing cold and snowy Umbrailpass, the highest peak of this year’s race at 2,498 metres and already a replacement for the removed Stelvio, was slated for the start of the stage but has been removed after riders unanimously agreed to not race unless the Umbrailpass was taken out of the day’s route.

Stage 16 will now start at 2 pm local time from Spondigna for a 121 km stage that will take in the first category Passo Pinei en route to the second category summit finish at Monte Pana.

A number of possible contingency plans had been drawn up the day before should an extreme weather protocol be needed, with possible neutralisation and extra measures such as a third team car being allowed in the race convoy to ensure riders had adequate clothing. A “parking zone” at the top of the Umbrailpass was also mooted, which would have neutralised the race for three minutes to allow riders to change clothes.

At the stage start in Livigno, race organiser RCS maintained the full route would be completed but with the race neutralised until after the Umbrailpass, which the riders protested, before another plan was hatched to roll out of Livigno for 10 km and then jump in team cars to head to the new Spondigna start line for the race proper. That suggestion was also not agreed to and so all riders eventually left the Livigno start line in vehicles to head to Spondigna.

Towns, such as Livigno, pay race organisers money to host stage starts and finishes, and contracts will likely include stipulations that if for whatever reason the stage can’t start or finish in the town as intended, the race will return for free the next year. Today’s alteration will have cost RCS money, which is why they were so keen to have riders on the road in the start town as originally planned.

Race director, Mauro Vegni, told TV broadcaster RAI after the decision had been made: “The mountains are like this, sometimes you have to face certain situations. Our decision certainly hasn’t been an improvised one, it was foreseen by the protocol established yesterday.

“We tried to provide additional safety measures for the riders but we agreed that if the conditions worsened we would have avoided the Umbrailpass. And that’s what happened, it would have been stupid to take on certain risks, especially on the descent.