Pole and traffic furniture caused a crash just 50 meters from the finish line at the GP Krani in Slovenia on Sunday that sent a number of sprinters and their teammates crashing at speed.

18-year-old Kooi Olaf of the Jumbo Visma Development team won the sprint ahead of Filippo Fortin (Team Felbermayr Simplon Vels) and Paweł Franzak (Vostar ATS Team).

Olaf and Fortin led the field through the final curve, successfully avoiding the pole and the cobblestone section that followed. Behind them, however, a rider tried to avoid the pole and slipped, causing many others to fall behind him.

The pole was protected by padding, but was in the path of sprinters trying to kick out of the corner.

Multiple videos posted on social media captured the crash and highlighted the dangers of leaving poles in the middle of the road.

The crash again highlighted the dangers of inadequate safety measures in racing and the question of who is responsible for ensuring the safety of the race route. The accident reminded one of the terrible crash Peter Stetina suffered at the 2015 Vuelta a País Vasco. He hit an abandoned pole in the road and suffered a broken leg and bruised kneecap, ultimately affecting his long-term cycling career.

The day after the crash, the peloton protested and the UCI announced it would launch an investigation.

"The International Cycling Union (UCI) expressed its concerns to the race organizers.

"Under UCI rules, race organizers are responsible for ensuring that all necessary safety measures are in place, and the presence of exposed pavement posts at the finish line is clearly unacceptable...The UCI received the commissaires' reports and other testimony after the event...The UCI has also received the reports and testimony of the race organizers, who are responsible for ensuring that all necessary safety measures are taken, investigate the circumstances under which these crashes occurred."