I don't think so, no. Others do. Nobody knows. I hope I'm right. They do too, even if they won't admit it.
-
The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
I don't think so, no. Others do. Nobody knows. I hope I'm right. They do too, even if they won't admit it.
Can't see racing until June at the earliest - Once the authorities get a better handle on COVID 19 in the upcoming months then the community will be eager for all sport to resume.
He’ll be turning 37. As good as Valverde is, he hasn’t looked like a GT winner since he was in his early 30s, though he has continued contending for podiums. Froome would have to discover the Horner equation for success to win another TdF.
If the two companies with treatments that are currently in world wide clinical trials have good results there is a high likelihood of having treatment on the market by sometime in May. Hopefully that will mean things that start back up sometime in May/June. (Also saw something about another company having a treatment ready to go to clinical trials, plus doctors are currently asking if they can use blood/antibodies from recovered people who consent to use to help build immunity in those who are now testing positive.)
Where did you hear about these companies? I could do with some good news.
Read today that both Irish governments have been talking to a lab near Belfast who have a one day test that is supposed to be easier to roll out than the 3 day test
On CNBC earlier this week. One of the companies with treatment in clinical testing is Gilead. The other is a malaria treatment that is being tested as treatment.
Here's an article about Gilead's treatment: https://fortune.com/2020/03/10/gilead-coronavirus-treatment-remdesivir-being-used-washington-cdc/
Everytime I see him racing I have to think what a rider he was until 2015 and I can't avoid to hate him for his decision to put on weight.Oh, Sagan in his glorious climbing days. Why did he throw that away?
Nibali doesn't need because he doesn't live in Italy even if he returns to train in Mastromarco sometimes (especially in the winter).
Anyway I don't think it's a big problem to compile the requested form if the police stop you, a couple of minutes, a sign and go.
Dumoulin next race will likely be more than a year after his last.
Dumoulin without a professional race for more than a year...
If u look at South Korea the actual rate of infection is 100-200/day with social distancing. The time for recovery is ~ 4 weeks. So the max peak cases should be ~ 6000 which is what Korea is at and manageable with current healthcare . The other countries high rate of cases is lack of testing and/or lack of social distancing. Panic actually leads to more crowding as people congregate in stores for supplies. I still would say that the best measure is to block the import of cases by stopping foreign travel which many countries should have done in the first place but were reluctant to do due to econnomics and now as a result have to implement more draconian steps thus cratering the economy even more.
On a cycling level it’s gutting because this has been as a high a level an early season I can think of with so many memorable performances and storylines that were building beautifully towards the Grand Tours and Spring Classics only to have the plug pulled on the entire calendar indefinitely.
Armchair cyclist
Moderator
Maybe we need to think beyond the effect on races, and what might be the effect on cycling. Prize money is, I believe, a relatively small part of the budget consideration for teams and for individuals, so the lack of races is not a great cost to teams and riders (although I suspect that many support staff are casually employed, and will be hard hit
But it is a huge hit in terms of the one thing that bike racing does offer: exposure (of sponsors' products to their markets, and of riders to prospective employers)
Teams exist because sponsors see it as a way of buying exposure: if they have financially committed to the outlay in 2020 and get very little exposure, then for all that they will recognise that this has not been a typical year (in cycling or in any sport, or in business) they are more likely to think twice about renewing their sponsorship in future.
And for the riders whose contracts are up, and will have little opportunity to impress, this will be a big hit. I can imagine it to be particularly so for those in their early 30s, maybe who had a disappointing 2019 and were relying on making an impression in 2020 to extend their careers. Or young riders (who are not in the Bernal/Evenepoel/Pogacar/Higuita bracket), who saw this as the year to prove that they are worth a grown-up squad rider's salary.
Fewer races will have a huge potential impact beyond our loss of entertainment: I fear that many careers, and teams, may not survive it. A rapid return to the programme will of course mitigate this, but if those who say that it will be autumn at best, and maybe next year, before there is a return are correct, then the sport may take years to recover.
Please assure me I am being unduly pessimistic...
But it is a huge hit in terms of the one thing that bike racing does offer: exposure (of sponsors' products to their markets, and of riders to prospective employers)
Teams exist because sponsors see it as a way of buying exposure: if they have financially committed to the outlay in 2020 and get very little exposure, then for all that they will recognise that this has not been a typical year (in cycling or in any sport, or in business) they are more likely to think twice about renewing their sponsorship in future.
And for the riders whose contracts are up, and will have little opportunity to impress, this will be a big hit. I can imagine it to be particularly so for those in their early 30s, maybe who had a disappointing 2019 and were relying on making an impression in 2020 to extend their careers. Or young riders (who are not in the Bernal/Evenepoel/Pogacar/Higuita bracket), who saw this as the year to prove that they are worth a grown-up squad rider's salary.
Fewer races will have a huge potential impact beyond our loss of entertainment: I fear that many careers, and teams, may not survive it. A rapid return to the programme will of course mitigate this, but if those who say that it will be autumn at best, and maybe next year, before there is a return are correct, then the sport may take years to recover.
Please assure me I am being unduly pessimistic...
I think IF we can get back to racing sometime this summer it will mitigate some of the effects you're talking about. Some of the races may not survive either. I think the sooner cycling (sports in general) can get back running the better it is for the sports.
Ah, didn't know that. It was just an example because he's someone most people probably have an idea who is.
Something else I've been wondering; if - and I bloody hope not - the entire season gets suspended, could it basically mean that everything - at least routes for stages races - would be pushed a year? Or, I suppose even if the entire season doesn't get suspended, it could still come into play for the Giro, with the 2021 Giro starting in Budapest, the 2022 Giro starting on Sicily, and so on...
Last edited:
I doubt it. For the start of the Giro 2021 for example, contracts are signed, hotels are booked/blocked on Sicily, and so on. It just wouldn't make much sense to cancel everything and start from scratch elsewhere.
And in many cases, races use certain routes because the cities pay for it. And who knows, maybe there are other events next year, and no budget for cycling.
But that's exactly my point. The cities on the route of the 2020 Giro - including those in Hungary - probably wouldn't be too happy with being told that "Eeh… nevermind. Not gonna happen."
well, I'd think they don't need to pay for this year then. But no idea how those contracts exactly look like
China is supposed to start up its football competition again in May, so about 4 months after the real start of the epidemic. As fast as it has been spread, with adequate measures in place, and maybe some help from the climate, we may also start seeing significant improvements in April - so perhaps June is realistic in terms of starting up all sorts of competitions again.
The UK govt is planning to implement quarantine for all over 70s for 4 months as the first measure, so that would mean until end July at least.
Racing could still resume before that. There aren't that many pros who are over 70, not even Valverde!
Why would a quarantine for old people prevent sports competitions from going on?
I was simply using this as a basic timeframe for the anticipated period of the virus, at least four months. Based on what the scientific community are advising the government.
Whether you like it or not, this isn’t going to clear up any time soon.
You know, I would love it to get sorted out as soon as possible. My business is 100% reliant on people going away on holiday, my future bookings for this month and April have pretty much all been cancelled already, my income will be zero until people start being able to travel again. I would dearly love to be proven wrong on the timelines.
Last edited:
the Ronde hasn't officially been cancelled. Why? Hasn't the Belgium government shut things down until April the 3rd? How does this not stop the Ronde?
TRENDING THREADS
-
-
Paris - Roubaix 2024, one day monument, April 7- Started by Dreginald
- Replies: 2K
-
-
-
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2024 (March 18-24)- Started by Devil's Elbow
- Replies: 2K
-
Tour of the Alps 2024 (April 15 - 19)- Started by Devil's Elbow
- Replies: 277
-
De Ronde van Vlaanderen (270.8 km), 2024 March 31 (Sunday)- Started by Netserk
- Replies: 1K
Latest posts
-
Liege Bastogne Liege-7 hour monument, Sunday, April 21, 2024- Latest: Dekker_Tifosi
-
-
-
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram