Giro d'Italia: Wilco Kelderman blames disc brakes for GC tumble on stage 9

On the run into the final climb in stage 9 of the 2022 Giro d’Italia, Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe) slipped out of the front group.

While his teammate Jai Hindley went on to win the stage by a scant wheel length ahead of Romain Bardet (Team DSM) and Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), Kelderman lost 11 minutes on the stage, effectively ending his GC bid.

Kelderman claimed to have mechanical troubles on the descent of the penultimate climb, the Passo Lanciano, in which he broke spokes, according to AD.

“In the descent to the final climb I broke my wheel”, Kelderman explained why he was not in the group with favorites at the foot of the Blokchaus. “I think that spoke got too hot, it just popped, because of the pressure.”

The 31-year-old Dutch twice had to change bikes before the final climb to Blockhaus, but he remained optimistic about the remaining stages and Hindley’s GC position.

“I was already on the fence about the climb. I already had the idea that it wasn’t going to be me anymore. It wasn’t my day. Of course, I am very disappointed,” he added. “I am happy that Jai [Hindley] is in such a good condition. We can work for that, the Giro is not over yet.”

Kelderman dropped from the top-10 and went into Monday’s rest day in 24th. He was third in the GC at the 2020 Giro d’Italia.

Kelderman is not the only professional cyclist to remain critical of disc brakes.

Hugo Hofstetter required 35 stitches after a crash in which he suffered a deep gash, and questioned the safety of disc brakes.

Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech), who won the maglia rosa at the 2018 Giro, has been outspoken about his skepticism surrounding disc brake use in the peloton.

Ineos Grenadiers were late adopters of the bike-stopping technology and still use rim brakes on the team’s Pinarello Bolide time trial bikes.