UAE responds to Rowe, Thomas and Zonneveld as Giro tyre choice questions increase after crashes on stages 2 and 5

The massive crash on stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia left UAE Team Emirates-XRG three riders before the race had even reached Italy. But beyond the wreckage, a question has been discussed by two former INEOS riders: should UAE have been riding time trial tyres in the wet?

Marc Soler slid out at the head of the UAE train on a wet right-hand bend in Bulgaria, triggering a pile-up that also eliminated Jay Vine and Adam Yates. Vine left Bulgaria with a broken elbow and concussion. Soler sustained a pelvic fracture. Yates developed delayed concussion symptoms overnight and did not start stage 3.

In the aftermath, attention shifted — at least partly — to UAE's equipment choice.

On the Watts Occurring podcast, former riders, and current sports directors, Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe discussed the topic directly.

"UAE were riding TT tyres," said Rowe. "We all know they're faster. They are faster. They always use them. They're the one team who use them under almost any circumstances — but they do have less grip. And the first guy down was a UAE guy. Lost both wheels."

Thomas admitted the issue was not unique to UAE. "It's been a bit of a topic in our team," he said. "We started using TT tyres, and then you use them more and more, and before you know it, it becomes standard. It's definitely something to consider — especially in Bulgaria, not knowing exactly how the roads are."

Rowe's frustration centred on one key detail: the rain was not a surprise.

"Was the rain a surprise? Were you on the ground — was it in the forecast?" he asked Thomas.

"No," Thomas replied. "It was forecast that it could be wet. All the boys knew."

Rowe's verdict was blunt. "I don't understand that decision. I really don't. A wet day and TT tyres — that seems like a strange call. And again, this is harsh to say, because half the team ended up on the deck.

IDL Pro Cycling was present with the UAE team on Wednesday, and we put the question of Arrieta's crashes — and the team's explanation for them — to sporting director and former professional Marco Marcato. Tyres? Marcato shook his head. "This is normal — especially on a day when it barely stopped raining."

That Arrieta almost lost his rear wheel even on a flat section of tarmac, the Italian directeur sportif explained differently: "In southern Italy, when it hasn't rained for a while and suddenly there's heavy rainfall, the roads here are extremely slippery. We also warned the riders about it in this morning's meeting — that the road surfaces in this region can be especially slick."

There is no doubt that time trial tyres are fast and supple. "Riders feel like they're flying," said Dutch journalist and former pro Thijs Zonneveld — who also saw riders struggling with the lack of grip in the wet. And so he considers the crashes, particularly on stage two, "partly attributable" to that choice.

"There are more teams that prioritise making their equipment as fast as possible over making it as safe as possible," he said. "The manufacturer doesn't expect a team to use these tyres in road races. And using them on a wet day — that's on a completely different level. But I've asked around at several teams and they confirm UAE are using them at this Giro."

"Tadej Pogacar rides them almost all the time. And when he does it, everyone wants to." But when riders from other teams are the ones paying the price, Zonneveld believes a line needs to be drawn. "I think a team like UAE could easily make it easier for others — that's not fair, but it is the reality. If I were a rider at another team, I'd say something about it at some point. They put themselves at risk — but in stage two, they also took out ten riders from other teams."

Zonneveld was sharply critical on his podcast when the conversation turned to UAE's crashes at stage 2 and stage 5 at this year's Giro. "Yes, it was incredibly slippery, and I think both Arrieta and Eulalio took risks on the descents. They are good bike handlers — but UAE very often ride on Continental time trial tyres, and they're doing it at this Giro too."

IDL Pro Cycling can confirm the Continental Grand Prix 5000 tyres were indeed visible on the bikes strapped to the roof of the UAE team car after stage five. According to Zonneveld, that is simply not acceptable on wet days like Wednesday. "In stage two as well, the heavy crash began with a UAE rider losing his grip. And you saw exactly the same thing with Arrieta."

On a normal road stage, most riders use all-round tyres: built for a balance of speed, grip and durability across different conditions. TT — or time trial — tyres are different. They are built purely for speed. Narrower, run at higher pressure, and with a smoother surface and minimal tread, they reduce rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag.

In dry conditions, that trade-off is worth making. In the wet, Luke Rowe would argue, it is not.

Grip depends on a tyre's ability to maintain contact with the road. In wet conditions, water sits between the tyre and the tarmac. A tread pattern channels that water away and preserves grip. A smooth TT tyre cannot do that. Higher pressure makes things worse — it reduces the surface area in contact with the road at precisely the moment when you need the most traction.

On a wet descent at race speed, the margin for error disappears very quickly.

UAE's willingness to push the boundaries on equipment is well documented, and in dry conditions, faster tyres can be decisive.

Thomas framed the broader dilemma thoughtfully. "Risk versus reward — what route do you go down? The Giro compared to the Tour is a bit different. The Tour generally has better-quality roads." Bulgaria, by contrast, was unknown territory for the professional peloton.

Neither Thomas nor Rowe suggest UAE acted with reckless disregard. Both acknowledged it is a judgement call that every team faces. But when the rain was forecast, and the roads unknown, that calculation looks harder to defend.

With three of their own riders sent home before the race reached Italian soil, and many other teams effected, those questions may come back to haunt the team.