Effects of coronavirus on professional races

[King Boonen]

Think the rushing of a vaccine that's improperly tested is actually a bit scary.

Especially as the usual route to vaccines is attenuated viruses. These can still cause immune and inflammatory responses and this was a huge issue in developing SARS vaccines.

 

[The Hegelian]

And the likely thousands that would ignore advice and still come out to support the race on route.

I'm not sure that would be a problem. It's more mass groups of people in close proximity for a reasonable amount of time. So, Alpe d'huez would be an issue.....and start and finish of SB or MSR. But during the race?? People clapping outside their houses??

 

[King Boonen]

Cycling is actually in a rather unique position vis a vis coronavirus; it's sort of a traveling circus where illness can spread very fast among the teams. And unlike other sports, we actually have cases of coronavirus within the sport. What team is going to risk a UAE tour type of situation, having highly paid riders stuck in a hotel rather than training?

Add into this discarded bottles, clothing etc. being collected by the crowd, kept or passed back and so on. Compared to many other sporting events the risks are much higher.

 

[Joelsim]

Canceling PN now too? Seriously?

The cycling season is over IMO. Hospitals and other infrastructure won't be able to cope as it is, travel and staying in hotels will stop completely within the next couple of weeks. There are clearly many many people all over Europe who are carrying the virus over and above the tiny numbers that have been found.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I suppose one of the main concerns of the teams who are pulling out is the possibility of infected riders having decreased lung function in short/medium/long term. Obviously any decrease, even 1%, would be a big problem for a pro cyclist and with this being a new virus nobody can be certain what the long term effects might be. Initially I was surprised when it was reported that the infected UAE Tour riders were in hospital (I'm assuming they are not seriously ill) but I suppose it makes sense to treat athletes differently to the general public.

 

[tobydawq]

There are clearly many many people all over Europe who are carrying the virus over and above the tiny numbers that have been found.

Which is exactly the reason why it doesn't help to cancel the races!

 

[tobydawq]

I suppose one of the main concerns of the teams who are pulling out is the possibility of infected riders having decreased lung function in short/medium/long term. Obviously any decrease, even 1%, would be a big problem for a pro cyclist and with this being a new virus nobody can be certain what the long term effects might be. Initially I was surprised when it was reported that the infected UAE Tour riders were in hospital (I'm assuming they are not seriously ill) but I suppose it makes sense to treat athletes differently to the general public.

Actually, lung capacity is far from the primary limiting factor for endurance athletes.

 

[Joelsim]

Which is exactly the reason why it doesn't help to cancel the races!

The reality is that everything non-essential, especially travel, will stop.

 

[Nirvana]

The meeting of RCS with local authorities in Siena is on, according to some media rumors they are planning to close Piazza del Campo that basically is the only part of the race with crowds. I still can't see the race going on (even in case of green light from local authorities) if teams refuse to start.

 

[F_Cance]

Strade now officially cancelled

 

[sir fly]

To me, the effects of teams' withdrawals seem bigger than the cancelations of races.

 

[F_Cance]

AG2R now also out of PN and TA. Don't really understand why they all don't want to start in PN. Also ruining it for the other teams which still want to start there. I mean some mor teams not starting and they will cancel the whole thing.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1235527255826116608

View: https://twitter.com/AG2RLMCyclisme/status/1235527255826116608

 

[hrotha]

Which is exactly the reason why it doesn't help to cancel the races!

These measures are not about stopping the virus, it's about slowing down its spread so that the healthcare system isn't overwhelmed with patients getting infected too fast.

 

[Joelsim]

To me, the effects of teams' withdrawals seem bigger than the cancelations of races.

Quote from E3

"The E3 takes place the week after Milan-San Remo," Coussens told Het Laatste Nieuws . “The riders are already staying in hotels with us on Monday. What if someone in Italy is found to be infected and the entire hotel is quarantined? Then all matches after San Remo are in danger. "

“Now heading to Italy is when people steer straight into the hearth while it is burning. That is asking for a corona infection. And what kind of participants is there at the start with us? We cannot insure ourselves against that, do we? We collect money from sponsors and we organize a major VIP event. How that should be done, we will discuss that next week. "

 

[Joelsim]

These measures are not about stopping the virus, it's about slowing down its spread so that the healthcare system isn't overwhelmed with patients getting infected too fast.

Quite.

It’s simply trying to delay it until a vaccine/antiviral drugs have been created. This would take some of the pressure off the medical infrastructure.

 

[Alexandre B.]

AG2R now also out of PN and TA. Don't really understand why they all don't want to start in PN. Also ruining it for the other teams which still want to start there. I mean some mor teams not starting and they will cancel the whole thing.

They're out of T-A and MSR, not P-N.

 

[Red Rick]

Quite.

It’s simply trying to delay it until a vaccine/antiviral drugs have been created. This would take some of the pressure off the medical infrastructure.

A bit pedantic, but it's not about the creation of antivirals, but more about determining which ones work, in which dose and how well they're tolerated. There's plenty of drugs that could help but given it's a virus that isn't common in humans they're behind on testing as per frigging usual.

 

[Joelsim]

A bit pedantic, but it's not about the creation of antivirals, but more about determining which ones work, in which dose and how well they're tolerated. There's plenty of drugs that could help but given it's a virus that isn't common in humans they're behind on testing as per frigging usual.

The semantics don’t really matter Rick, until something is shown to work that can then be produced in sufficient (huge) quantities, there is the likelihood of hospitals being overwhelmed.

 

[sir fly]

Positive feedback between the races and teams, it appears.

 

[Nirvana]

41 new cases announced in Spain this morning compared to yesterday's evening update, but teams will return to racing at Volta a Catalunya after that two weeks hiatus they are forcing, yeah, for sure...

 

[Red Rick]

41 new cases announced in Spain this morning compared to yesterday's evening update, but teams will return to racing at Volta a Catalunya after that two weeks hiatus they are forcing, yeah, for sure...

Where in Spain?

 

[Nirvana]

Where in Spain?

The data divided between the autonomous communities is still updated as of yesterday evening because it's still the one there was early this morning before they announced the new cases.

Mapa del coronavirus en España y datos de su evolución

Superada la sexta ola, Sanidad ha modificado la estrategia de vigilancia del coronavirus y se centra en la situación hospitalaria y en la población vulnerable.

www.rtve.es

 

[Lequack]

So that means no Vuelta as well?

 

[Nirvana]

Meanwhile France is ready to declare the epidemic state and put on harsher limitations.

Il semble "peu probable malheureusement" que la France échappe au stade 3, le stade épidémique, a indiqué mercredi 4 mars 2020 la porte-parole du gouvernement Sibeth Ndiaye, à l'issue d'un Conseil de défense à l'Elysée. "Nous nous préparons activement au fait d'avoir une épidémie". Au stade 3, celui où l'on constate que le virus circule et qu'il est transmissible sur l'ensemble du territoire, "les activités collectives sont fortement impactées", précise le gouvernement.

Coronavirus Covid-19 : la France se prépare au stade 3 - Sciences et Avenir

Emmanuel Macron s'entoure de chercheurs pour discuter d'un déclenchement du stade 3 de l'épidémie de coronavirus Covid-19 en France.

www.sciencesetavenir.fr

 

[Kazistuta]

We might as well brace ourselves... it's only going one way.
This is sad anyway you see it, and even though it bugs the living C out of me, I actually understand most of the measures being taken, although many medias take things a bit out of proportions.
The virus is far from its highest in Europe, and if cancellation of part of (or most of) the cycling season helps slow down the spreading, I HAVE to be okay with that.