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Effects of coronavirus on professional races

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Edit to add... I'm not not sure what that will mean for the cycling calendar in Europe. The virus might be more under control in the summer but there's a good chance that next year's spring calendar will be in jeopardy, too. And cyclocross?
I figure there is a chance a vaccine will be produced by then. Usually takes 1-1,5y to create a vaccine for a new type of flu, so I suppose there might be one quicker considering the gravity of this one.
 
I figure there is a chance a vaccine will be produced by then. Usually takes 1-1,5y to create a vaccine for a new type of flu, so I suppose there might be one quicker considering the gravity of this one.
I very much doubt it will take less than a year.
My only hope to save the cycling season is summer. If the virus indeed struggles above a certain temperature, we might be safe. Otherwise I'm not optimistic.
 
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Finally we have confirmation that at least one rider at the UAE Tour has tested positive for the virus, Dmitri Strachov from Gazprom-Rusvelo. He tested positive after the fifth (!) test.

When was that final test conducted? Because… taking a brief look at the timeline of the events:

  1. Feb 28, testing started
  2. Gazprom (among other teams) is placed under extended quarantine
  3. Mar 3, UCI confirms six new cases
  4. Mar 8, Cofidis and FDJ got their third round of testing.

So... I find it rather unlikely that Gazprom got five tests in the space of just about four days, while Cofidis and FDJ had to wait five more days to get their third. That could mean that not only was Strachov not the original Russian being reported amongst the six new cases reported on the third, but also that - unfortunately - he got infected while in quarantine.
 
I very much doubt it will take less than a year.
My only hope to save the cycling season is summer. If the virus indeed struggles above a certain temperature, we might be safe. Otherwise I'm not optimistic.

Even then, there might not be enough time. Let's say beginning of April it gets seriously warmer (and historically April is often still pretty cold in much of Europe), the infection numbers stay flat or go down, at what point do the politicians decide it's safe to open public life again and not risk a second escalation?

May, june,... season's almost over.
 
Gazprom had 4 guys sick and brought to hospital already (Boev, Cima, a mechanic and a masseur) before Strakhov tested positive, so that may explain why they did some further checks on the remaing staff

Apparently all 4 were told that they were tested positive for Corona by the way, but Gazprom says it can't be true because they did not get written confirmation. Initially the mechanic didn't even want to go to hospital at all, because he was suspicious of them selling his organs :rolleyes:
 
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Gazprom had 4 guys sick and brought to hospital already (Boev, Cima, a mechanic and a masseur) before Strakhov tested positive, so that may explain why they did some further checks on the remaing staff

Apparently all 4 were told that they were tested positive for Corona by the way, but Gazprom says it can't be true because they did not get written confirmation. Initially the mechanic didn't even want to go to hospital at all, because he was suspicious of them selling his organs :rolleyes:
There’s something fishy about this whole scenario if you ask me. Nothing adds up.
 
Gazprom had 4 guys sick and brought to hospital already (Boev, Cima, a mechanic and a masseur) before Strakhov tested positive, so that may explain why they did some further checks on the remaing staff

Apparently all 4 were told that they were tested positive for Corona by the way, but Gazprom says it can't be true because they did not get written confirmation. Initially the mechanic didn't even want to go to hospital at all, because he was suspicious of them selling his organs :rolleyes:

That story ended a different place than I would have thought...
 
Bit of a silly thought:
Imagine if after this Demare and Sinkeldam tells FDJ management that they'll never room together again. Or... maybe it'll actually be the other way around, with FDJ management telling them that they'll never be allowed to room together again, because... let's face it... they got a little weird!
 
I think they won't cancel so much races. There will be probably a stop for 2-3 months in some countries and then things will be going again because you can't stop public life, sports and work forever.
I even think that in most countries there won't be a total stop like in Italy.
 
I very much doubt it will take less than a year.
My only hope to save the cycling season is summer. If the virus indeed struggles above a certain temperature, we might be safe. Otherwise I'm not optimistic.
Why the pessimism? The very closely related SARS virus vaccine took about a year to develop back in 2003. There is far, far greater global impetus to perfect a vaccine for coronavirus. e.g. Chinese, American, European and Australian researchers are all working on this. I am optimistic the vaccine will be perfected sooner than you expect. But I do agree with you the outlook for this cycling season looks bleak.
 
No chance now that the spring classics will go ahead, I think, or perhaps the ones in the Ardennes have a small chance. Policies are changing very, very fast now - and probably they are right. At some point, we have to decide we cannot go on like we normally would.
 

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