When stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia was shortened by more than half on Friday due to rider protests, race director Mauro Veni vowed that "someone will pay for this." After the stage, the race's Twitter account announced that someone would. The brief statement read: "The prize money from today's stage will be donated by the organizers to a medical center dedicated to the fight against COVID-19.

The riders are reportedly unhappy about the addition of 5km to the 253km flat stage from Morbeño to Asti and decided late Thursday to protest the distance.

On Friday morning, the riders rode an 8-km neutral section in the rain and cold before boarding team buses and traveling to Abbiategrasso.

Sandwiched between Thursday's six-hour stage over the Stelvio and Saturday's arduous high-altitude stage with three climbs to Sestriere, the riders decided they had had enough after stage 19.

"It wasn't a question of the weather," EF Pro Cycling's Simon Clark said after the stage, "it didn't seem necessary to have a flat race over 260 km, so we tried to find a compromise where we could race and spectacle but not ride unnecessarily long distances.

Despite tweeting their thanks to the UCI Jury and RCS Sport for agreeing, the riders' association (CPA) said, "Health is our top priority, especially during this COVID period. Reducing the stage today does not mean that the show will be curtailed and the athletes' immune defenses will not be put at greater risk," but Veni was furious after the incident, saying he was "very upset that this has happened."

The Giro director claimed that he was only aware of the riders' concerns about the long travel time and possible immunosuppression in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic, as the morning of the stage was cold and rainy and the weather was long.

"It is an unacceptable decision and one that we will have to endure," Veni told RAI.

"Now we are thinking of going to Milan, but then someone else will have to pay for this."

If donations of stage prize money were allowed, stage winner Joseph Cerny (CCC team) would pay the most.

The top 20 finishers will receive €27,540, with €2,000 going to Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) for the Maria Rosa prize and the leaders of the points, mountains, and young rider prizes, Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ), Ruben Guerreiro ( EF Pro Cycling) and Jai Hindley (Sunweb) will each receive €750.

The donation of prize money did not dampen the celebratory mood of the CCC team. The team was set to disband at the end of the season and had yet to win a Grand Tour stage since the Polish shoe manufacturer took over title sponsorship from BMC.

"We support RCS's decision to donate the prize money from stage 19 to the fight against COVID-19. 'The most important thing for us is Joseph Cerny's victory and we will celebrate it as a team. The decision to donate the prize money does not detract from this special moment for the team."

At least the riders were able to celebrate one fact: the UCI did not fine a single rider or team manager for breaking the rules during stage 19.