“Grand Tour racing, jersey on the line... It’s always going to be chaotic” - Geraint Thomas weighs in on Giro safety debate after INEOS caught up in Stage 1 crash

A major crash in the final kilometre of Stage 1 of the 2026 Giro d'Italia in Burgas wiped out several sprint contenders, including Kaden Groves, Dylan Groenewegen, and Matteo Moschetti, with Moschetti later abandoning the race due to concussion. INEOS Pro Cycling were caught up in the chaos, though Ben Turner managed to avoid falling. Geraint Thomas defended the chaotic finale as an unavoidable reality of Grand Tour racing, while former directeur sportif Johan Bruyneel and journalist Thijs Zonneveld criticised the course design, with Zonneveld calling the roadside barriers 'criminal'.