The Giro d’Italia’s fluffy wolf mascot will be banned from appearing when the race enters France next week after protests from a farmers’ group who complained his presence would be “pure provocation”.

Lupo Wolfie, who became the Giro’s mascot last year, was due to accompany the race when it enters the Hautes-Alpes department in south-eastern France for stages 19 and 20 next week.

However, his proposed presence has provoked outrage among Jeunes Agriculteurs 05 – a union that defends the interests of local farmers under the age of 35 – because they say it is mocking the number of attacks they have suffered on their livestock in recent months.

“The display of such a mascot in the midst of our pastures, which is supported by most environmental groups, is pure provocation that is not humanly acceptable to the farmers,” said a statement form the group. “Farmers are tired of seeing the wolf only presented to public opinion as a nice soft toy.”

Their request has been agreed to by organisers, who decided to replace the previous mascot Girbecco – a mountain goat sporting the race’s famous pink jersey – after a run of six years. His predecessor was Ghiro, a giant rat who has been described as a wobbly-eyed cross between Don Corleone and Master Splinter.