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The first stage of the Volta ao Algarve ended in chaotic scenes after a large part of the peloton headed the wrong way. <\/b><\/p>\n
Italy’s Filippo Ganna raised his arms in celebration after crossing the line first after many of his rivals mistakenly headed up the wrong side of the finishing straight.<\/p>\n
Race organisers later said the 192.2km stage from Portimao to Lagos had been cancelled, external<\/span><\/a> with no winner declared.<\/p>\n The bizarre scenes happened after the majority of the first 50 riders followed the camera motorbikes along a deviation, off the course, but parallel to the finish line.<\/p>\n Austrian cyclist Marco Haller labelled the finish “ridiculous” and said there should be consequences for the organisers.<\/p>\n “For me it’s pretty ridiculous because we suffer for 190 kilometres to put ourselves in a perfect position,” Haller told Eurosport., external<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n “It’s something where there needs to be consequences for the officials, for the organisers. <\/p>\n “You could see on the last kilometre the deviation wasn’t blocked by the officials.<\/p>\n “It cannot always be the riders to be blamed. It’s very frustrating.” <\/p>\n Race organisers later released a statement which said: “On the approach to the finish line in Lagos, the peloton became divided and a large number of the riders took the wrong route, followed the detour of the support cars and missed the finish line.”<\/p>\n Race director Sergio Sousa added: “The College of Commissaires interpreted the regulations and, given what happened, decided to cancel the stage because they considered that sporting truth did not prevail in the end.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n