EF Education-EasyPost have pulled two riders out of the Giro d'Italia in order to rest them for future races, with stage winner Michael Valgren and James Shaw non-starters on stage 19.
The unusual move comes with three stages remaining and will spare the pair two days in the mountains on Friday and Saturday, as well as the Rome finale on Sunday.
"Both riders have given a huge amount to the team over the past weeks and we are proud of the way they have raced," read a statement from the team on Friday morning.
"With several riders already sidelined through injury this season, and with Michael and James both essential to our goals this summer, we have made the decision to prioritize their health, recovery, and preparation for the important block of racing ahead."
Friday's stage 19 is the queen stage of the race, featuring 5,000 metres of elevation gain over several high-altitude climbs, while stage 20 features a double ascent of the Piancavallo climb to finish the GC race.
The Giro concludes with laps around Rome, a day that's more celebratory than exerting until the wind-up to the final sprint.
Valgren and Shaw's race schedules have not been confirmed beyond the Giro, but the news could mean both are in line to start the Tour de France in early July.
'Enormous respect for the Giro'
It is not uncommon for riders to voluntarily leave a Grand Tour early, although it is not always well received by race organisers or the fans.
It occurs most often in the case of sprinters, when the flat stages have dried up and only mountains remain.
Valgren and Shaw are not sprinters, with Valgren already using his punch and race craft to win from a breakaway earlier this week, and Shaw is an all-rounder who most often works as a domestique.
EF Education-EasyPost do not have a GC rider at this Giro, with Marcel Beloki the best-placed overall in 23rd, but there's a question mark over whether they could still have played a role in fighting for team goals in the remaining three stages.
And then there's the question of optics, pulling out of the race with no injury and no illness, so close to Rome. This, though, is not something the team tried to hide.
"We have enormous respect for the Giro," the EF team insisted, "and will keep fighting all the way to Rome."
Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our coverage of the Giro d'Italia. Enjoy unrivaled reporting from our team of journalists on the ground, including breaking news, analysis, and more, from every stage as it happens, plus access to the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! Find out more.
