‘Slow down!’ – Desperate fan pleads with riders to leave his Strava KOM record alone at Giro d'Italia

Updated 14/05/2022 at 14:36 GMT

Spare a thought for this poor chap spotted in the crowd on Stage 8 at the Giro d’Italia. So determined was he to cling onto his KOM record on Strava, that he came to the race armed with a cheeky sign urging the riders to “slow down”. We suspect it’s unlikely they will have paid any attention… Mathieu van der Poel and Biniam Girmay were among those looking likely on the rip-up around Napoli.

‘Slow down’ – Cheeky fan asks riders to leave his Strava record alone

One spectator was so concerned about losing his KOM record on Strava when the Giro d’Italia rolled into town that he rocked up with a sign pleading with the peloton to leave it alone.

The cheeky fan was pictured on the side of the road during the tear-up around Napoli on Saturday with a cardboard sign declaring: "Slow down, don’t take my KOM pls".

Unfortunately for him, race organisers decided to include the ascent to Lago Lucrino in Stage 8's mini circuit, meaning there were four opportunities for pro riders to dislodge him from the top of the Strava rankings.

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With Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarche–Wanty–Gobert Materiaux) both helping drive a frantic pace in the breakaway, his hopes seemed forlorn.

“Presumably that’s the current Strava record holder stood with that sign on the side of the road. I feel for you,” said Dan Lloyd on Eurosport commentary.

“I don’t think it will have gone the first time up but keep your fingers crossed for the final time up that climb because we could well see attacks, particularly from our breakaway.”

Robbie McEwen, a 12-time stage winner at the Giro, was thoroughly enjoying the fan’s sign.

“Well if his Strava KOM does get taken he’s going to join a long list of people it’s happened to whenever a pro race has come to town,” he said.

“You see the KOM list newly populated after the race when riders have uploaded their stats and it’s always great to see – I think it’s fantastic that riders upload to Strava.”