Superman López crashed during the opening time trial in Palermo. He hit a bump in the road and lost control of his bike before he crashed into the barriers. He didn’t sustain any serious injuries, although he suffered a wound close to the iliac arteria in his leg.
Another big name, Geraint Thomas, was forced to abandon after a crash in the neutral zone of stage 3. He finished the stage, but that was it.
Simon Yates DNS in stage 8 after testing positive on COVID-19, which also happened to Michael Matthews and Steven Kruijswijk on the first rest day. Subsequently, the entire Jumbo-Visma squad pulled out after, while Mitchelton-Scott left the Giro after four staff members tested positive.
Fernando Gaviria tested positive as well and he was also forced to pull out.
DNF in stage 1
26. Miguel Ánge López (col – Astana)
OTL in stage 1
42. Luca Covili (ita – Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè)
DNF in stage 2
28. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus – Astana)
DNS in stage 4
161. Geraint Thomas (gbr – Ineos Grenadiers)
DNF in stage 4
217. Luca Wackermann (ita – Vini Zabù-Brado-KTM)
DNF in stage 5
109. Benjamin Thomas (fra – Groupama – FDJ)
198. Pieter Weening (nld – Trek-Segafredo)
DNS in stage 6
133. Brent Bookwalter (usa – Mitchelton-Scott)
DNS in stage 8
1. Tony Gallopin (fra – AG2R La Mondiale)
55. Patrick Gamper (aut – BORA hansgrohe)
91. Sean Bennett (usa – EF Pro Cycling)
131. Simon Yates (gbr – Mitchelton Scott)
132. Edoardo Affini (ita – Mitchelton-Scott)
DNF in stage 8
4. Ben Gastauer (lux – AG2R La Mondiale)
DNS in stage 9
111. Rudy Barbier (fra – Israel Start-Up Nation)
DNF in stage 9
65. Pavel Kochetkov (rus – CCC)
DNS in stage 10
94. Lawson Craddock (usa – EF Pro Cycling)
134. Jack Haig (aus – Mitchelton-Scott)
135. Lucas Hamilton (aus – Mitchelton-Scott)
136. Michael Hepburn (aus – Mitchelton-Scott)
137. Damien Howson (aus – Mitchelton-Scott)
138. Cameron Meyer (aus – Mitchelton-Scott)
171. Steven Kruijswijk (nld – Jumbo-Visma)
172. Koen Bouwman (nld – Jumbo-Visma)
173. Tobias Foss (nor – Jumbo-Visma)
174. Chris Harper (aus – Jumbo-Visma)
175. Tony Martin (ger – Jumbo-Visma)
176. Christoph Pfingsten (ger – Jumbo-Visma)
177. Antwan Tolhoek (nld – Jumbo-Visma)
178. Jos van Emden (nld – Jumbo-Visma)
186. Michael Matthews (aus – Team Sunweb)
DNF in stage 10
107. Ramon Sinkeldam (nld – Groupama-FDJ)
DNF in stage 12
113. Alexander Cataford (can – Israel Start-Up Nation)
DNS in stage 14
194. Giulio Ciccone (ita – Trek-Segafredo)
DNS in stage 15
207. Sebastián Molano (col – UAE Emirates)
DNF in stage 15
73. Nicolas Edet (fra – Cofidis)
166. Jhonatan Narváez (ecu – INEOS Grenadiers)
193. Gianluca Brambilla (ita – Trek-Segafredo)
DNS in stage 16
205. Fernando Gaviria (col – UAE Emirates)
DNF in stage 16
208. Maximiliano Richeze (col – UAE Emirates)
DNS in stage 18
211. Giovanni Visconti (ita – Vini Zabù-Brado-KTM)
DNF in stage 18
22. Manuele Boaro (ita – Astana)
DNS in stage 19
215. Matteo Spreafico (Ita – Vini Zabù-Brado-KTM)
In 2019, the Giro d’Italia started with a field of 176 riders, 34 of whom didn’t reach the finish line of the last stage. Most notable abandonees were pre-race favorite Tom Dumoulin and Valerio Conti, who wore the maglia rosa for six days.