The cops at the vuelta dont fuck around. I've seen them run next to the riders and push people back to make space... It's weird that it sounds like i'm promoting police brutality haha....
Those flares, to me, seems like a ticket-able offense. Where are the local law enforcers in Italy? It seems like it will just get worse and worse until something is done.
I don't mind it so much. It limits attacking but it generally happens in areas where the riders are on their limit anyway. It's a special environment for the fans and the athletes to be in and rarely seems to lead to crashes or incidents. I hate seeing people with phones though, because you know they aren't paying attention to where the riders are.