The 2013 Giro della Toscana Femminile, a race with a reputation for chaos, ended in controversy as safety concerns led to a dramatic stand-off between the riders and organisers, resulting in mass withdrawals from the final stage. What should have been a prestigious closing race before the World Championships turned into a debacle that saw race leader Marianne Vos and other top competitors pull out in protest.
The trouble began early in the race, with riders repeatedly encountering open traffic on the course. Reports emerged that the police presence was insufficient, with only the lead group of riders receiving an escort, leaving those behind to navigate on roads that were not fully closed to traffic. Rachel Heal, team director for Optum, described the situation as “crazier than most places,” noting that the caravan had encountered oncoming cars and that the riders were left in dangerous situations.
The race had already seen multiple incidents. During the second stage, riders faced oncoming traffic and chaotic conditions. Tiffany Cromwell tweeted about the challenge of simply staying upright amidst the chaos. The situation was further exacerbated at the finish of stage two when Chloe Hosking collided with a camerawoman who had stepped into the road, resulting in minor injuries for Hosking and more serious ones for the camerawoman.
Photo Credit: Anton Vos/Cor VosPre-Race Meeting between Teams, Riders and Organisers
By the time the peloton reached the final stage, tensions were high. Concerns about rider safety led to a crucial meeting between team directors, commissaires, and race organisers. Italian riders Elisa Longo Borghini, Giorgia Bronzini, and Noemi Cantele represented the riders in this meeting. They demanded assurances from the organisers that the stage, which was set to run through the busy streets of Florence, would be safe.
Elisa Longo Borghini, a prominent figure in the riders’ protest, made it clear that the peloton was unwilling to race under the conditions they had faced in the previous stages. “We all agree, we cannot race under these conditions. In recent days we were lucky because none of us were hurt, but we took too many risks,” she stated, reflecting the mood among the riders.
The meeting was tense, with the riders pushing for concrete safety measures. However, the organisers, led by Brunello Fanini, insisted that the race could proceed safely. They promised additional police support and claimed that the route would be secure. Despite these assurances, the majority of the international teams were unconvinced. Marianne Vos, who had led the race since the prologue, was particularly vocal about the need for safety, later tweeting about leaving the race.
As the teams gathered at the start line, it became evident that a significant portion of the peloton would not participate. Vos’s Rabobank team, along with other major teams like Specialized-lululemon, Orica-AIS, Wiggle-Honda, and Hitec Products UCK, all decided to withdraw. The withdrawal was not without consequences, as the decision by these teams meant that only 53 riders took part in the final stage, compared to 112 the day before.
Elisa Longo Borghini remained firm in her stance, despite the organisers’ attempts to convince the riders to compete. She was supported by prominent figures like Emma Johansson and Giorgia Bronzini, who both saw the decision to protest as a necessary stand for rider safety. Johansson tweeted her support, stating, “Proud of all teams/riders standing up for our safety by not starting in Toscana.”
Organiser Reaction
The organisers, however, were critical of the withdrawal. Brunello Fanini, the race organiser, expressed his disappointment, claiming that the race was safe and accusing the top teams of sabotaging the event. “The course was very regulated, and the jury declared the stage valid and without problems,” Fanini stated. He also suggested that the decision not to race was made in bad faith, hinting that the actions of the riders had left spectators and sponsors disappointed.
Despite the organisers’ criticisms, the final stage did take place, albeit under a cloud of controversy. The Italian teams and Tibco-To The Top chose to race, with young French rider Aude Biannic winning the stage. Claudia Häusler, who had been fifth in the general classification, was declared the overall winner in the absence of Vos. Häusler later addressed the controversy, stating, “I still think I am the 5th on the GC. But someone needed to finish this race. I hope next year we can guarantee the safety in this race and in all the other ones because this is the most important.”
History Repeated
In 2005, the Giro della Toscana Femminile faced similar issues to those that would plague the race in 2013. The trouble began during a night-time criterium, where riders, led by Australian Olivia Gollan (also president of the CPA riders union at the time), protested against the dangerous conditions. The course was poorly lit, featuring 13 sharp corners over just 3 kilometres, with obstacles such as garbage bins scattered along the road. With little time to decide, the peloton chose to race neutrally to ensure safety, planning to award the stage win to a rider lower down in the general classification to avoid impacting the overall race.
However, this plan was disrupted when Mexican rider Clemilda Fernandes Silva attacked, having allegedly been offered money to do so. This led to further confusion, with the peloton eventually stopping altogether with three laps remaining. The situation escalated when Katia Longhin, a rider for S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box, the team owned by race organiser Brunello Fanini, was barred from continuing the next day after participating in the protest. A situation which caused further discontent amongst the riders in the peloton.
Despite these events, Gollan encouraged her fellow riders to continue the following day, which was the memorial ride for Michela Fanini. The former Giro d’Italia winner died aged just 21, and is who the team was named after and this race is held in honour of. Reflecting on the incident, Gollan acknowledged the chaotic handling of the situation but emphasised the need for better safety conditions, noting that the riders had shown solidarity by donating their prize money to the foundation set up for road safety after the death of Australian rider Amy Gillett.
Riders of Note
A good number of riders racing in the 2013 edition of the Giro della Toscana Femminile are still racing in the peloton today, including Aude Biannic, Marianne Vos, Lucinda Brand, Thalita de Jong, Barbara Guarischi, Alice Maria Arzuffi, Lizzie Deignan, Romy Kasper, Nina Kessler, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Lauren Stephens, Elisa Longo Borghini, Emilia Fahlin, Tiffany Cromwell, Olga Shekel, Maria Giulia Confalonieri, Elena Cecchini, Ursa Pintar, Spela Kern, Audrey Cordon-Ragot & Arianna Fidanza.
Olga Shekel and Ursa Pintar will also be taking part in the 2024 edition of the race.
Aftermath
The controversy surrounding the 2013 Giro della Toscana Femminile was not just about this single race. It raised broader questions about the conditions in which women’s races are organised and the level of priority given to rider safety. This debacle, coming so close to the World Championships in Florence that year, cast a shadow over the event and left many questioning the UCI’s role in ensuring that races meet the necessary safety standards.
The decision by the international teams to withdraw from the final stage highlighted ongoing concerns about safety in the sport, specifically for women riders. Lizzie Armistead, who was not racing but followed the events closely, expressed her disappointment with the situation, tweeting, “Proud of the teams that didn’t start today’s stage and disappointed in those that did. Safety has to be guaranteed.”
In the aftermath, the organisers hinted that the race might not return in 2014 as a result of the protests, a possibility that drew mixed reactions. While some, including Fanini, saw this as a loss for women’s cycling, others argued that if safety could not be guaranteed, the race should not take place. Ultimately, the race did return in 2014 but was demoted to the lowest UCI level of 2.2 from its only top-level edition the year before.
It didn’t end there though. Having tried to get the Italian Federation to sanction 3 of the riders involved in the protest (Elisa Longo Borghini, Giorgia Bronzini & Noemi Cantele). Ultimately, the Italian Fed decided there would be no punishments and so things carried on. However, 6 years later in 2019, the race organiser then tried to ban any rider involved in the 2013 protest from taking part in the 2019 edition. The TCA rider union was involved in the process to mitigate this long-term revenge.
Ultimately, riders were able to take part again in 2019 as they had in editions leading up to that year. Chloe Hosking, an outspoken rider from the 2013 edition who didn’t start the final stage, would actually win a stage of the 2019 race.
