The opening stage of the Volta ao Algarve descended into chaos as a significant portion of the peloton took a wrong turn near the finish line, leading to the stage being canceled.

Italy’s Filippo Ganna initially celebrated what he believed was a victory after crossing the line first, only to discover that many of his rivals had mistakenly followed a deviation off the course, parallel to the finish line.

The 192.2km stage from Portimao to Lagos was ultimately declared void, with no winner announced.

The confusion arose when the majority of the leading 50 riders followed camera motorbikes onto a detour, bypassing the actual finish line.

Austrian cyclist Marco Haller expressed frustration, calling the situation “ridiculous” and criticizing the race organizers for the lack of clear signage and proper course management.

“For me, it’s pretty ridiculous because we suffer for 190 kilometers to put ourselves in a perfect position,” Haller told Eurosport.

“There needs to be consequences for the officials and organizers. The deviation wasn’t blocked, and it’s not always the riders who should be blamed. It’s very frustrating.”

Race organizers later issued a statement explaining the incident: “On the approach to the finish line in Lagos, the peloton became divided, and a large number of riders took the wrong route, following the detour of the support cars and missing the finish line.

” Race director Sergio Sousa added that the College of Commissaires decided to cancel the stage, as the outcome did not reflect fair competition. “Sporting truth did not prevail in the end,” Sousa said.

The incident has sparked debate about the responsibility of race organizers to ensure clear course markings and proper communication, especially in critical moments of high-stakes races.

Riders and fans alike are calling for improved measures to prevent such mishaps in the future.