On the night before this stage was to be run, UCI commissaires ordered the Monte Crostis be removed from the race route. There had been talk of a rider protest on the basis of the extremely steep and poorly maintained roads the race was to go down, instigated somewhat after the death of Wouter Weylandt earlier in the race, but the UCI's decision was not on the basis of safety. Giro officials had set out a detailed protocol wherein team cars would not follow the race up or down the Crostis, and only motorbikes offering wheel changes would be present with the riders. Team managers expressed concern that they would not fully be able to fulfill their duties if not present with the riders like normal, and this was given as the basis of the UCI's decision. They held that Giro organizers had sufficiently ensured rider safety on the course, but the necessary protocols did not protect the sporting aspect of the race. Thus, the Crostis was eliminated, and the stage was reduced in length from its originally planned length of . The resultant course was still quite hilly, and the second-category Tualis climb was added to the route for the day to offset the loss of the Crostis. However, protests from spectators disappointed by the removal of the Crostis part of the route, including many who had volunteered for works to make parts of that road safe, lead to the cancellation of the Tualis climb. The route was diverted while the stage was in progress to avoid a small village at the foot of the Tualis where protesters had gathered. Therefore, the exact distance of this stage is unknown. Race director Angelo Zomegnan had earlier insisted that the Crostis would stay in the race, but he was obligated to accept the overruling decision of cycling's governing body. Reportedly, five teams, including Lampre-ISD, Liquigas-Cannondale, and Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli were willing to ride over and down the Crostis, but the other 17 were against it. Riders were satisfied that safety had been assured, but concurred that the sporting aspect of the race was not fairly served by only allowing a motorbike per team up the mountain. Zomegnan appeared on Italian television shortly before the stage was run and had scathing words for the teams and managers who had apparently approved the climb in October 2010 and again in March, in advance of the Giro, but lobbied for its removal at the last moment.