Organisers of the Tour de Suisse introduced on Friday that the queen stage of the 2024 version will likely be shortened as a result of snow-clearing crews haven’t been in a position to assure a protected crossing of the Furka and Nufenen passes.
The 151.1-kilometre Tour de Suisse route for stage 6, because of happen on June 14, was scheduled to begin in Locarno and traverse the Nufenenpass (2,478m) with an alternate route through the Gotthard and Furka Passes.
Different options such because the Simplon Move to Valais couldn’t be used as a result of the Swiss Military is unable to safe the route on Italian roads.
Nonetheless, organisers decided that neither route could be clear by race day and opted for a far shorter route beginning within the Goms Nordic Centre in Ulrichen with the identical uphill end to Blatten-Belalp, a seven-kilometre climb.
“Security is our high precedence and this is applicable to the riders, help automobiles and spectators,” Tour de Suisse Director Olivier Senn mentioned. “In fact we’re upset that the Queen Stage can not happen as deliberate. However mom nature and the climate are past our management and we should settle for that.”
The stage will likely be simply 42.5 kilometres lengthy with 848 metres of climbing to Blatten-Belalp.
The organisers praised the Goms Nordic Centre for agreeing to host the stage begin with such brief discover.Â
“We’re delighted to have discovered an alternate begin web site with sufficient area for all the Tour entourage so shortly,” Senn mentioned.
“We want to take this chance to thank the native organisers in Locarno who’ve been most understanding with our determination to not maintain the beginning in Ticino.”
On account of the shortening, the prize for the primary rider to cross the best cross within the Tour de Suisse on the Nufenen Move will now be awarded on the Gotthard Move on stage 4. The prize will honour Gino Mäder, who died because of crash accidents through the 2023 Tour de Suisse.
The shortening of the Tour de Suisse stage comes lower than a month after the Giro d’Italia organisers had been pressured to take away the Umbrail Move from stage 16 on the final minute.
