A WhatsApp group, a secretive operation – How the rider demonstration at Il Lombardia took shape

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, PARTENZA!” The master of ceremonies yelled out the traditional countdown on the start line of Il Lombardia on Saturday morning, but no one moved. The peloton had instead staged a protest for rider safety after numerous incidents this year, including the death of Finlay Tarling. It was an extraordinary moment, and not just for the way it played out but the way it all came together behind the scenes. Rider unity has been a consistent headache over the years but this protest was a slick, strong, and even secretive operation. Beyond the riders, “no one knew this was going to happen,” the New Zealand champion George Bennett told Cyclingnews. “We kept it out of the Telegram groups, we didn’t even tell our directors or team staff.” What’s most striking of all is that they didn’t even involve the CPA, which is the riders’ union that is supposed to act as a representative body in situations like this. Instead, a WhatsApp group was created in the middle of the week, either
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