Effects of coronavirus on professional races

[pastronef]

Koronin, you can´t race some races in december not even in Spain or southern France, the weather could be very bad.
also UCI confirmed the world-champs dates in Aigle the week of Sept 20-27. the Vuelta will have to finish at the latest on Sunday 20th (the men road race is on Sunday 27th)

 

[RedheadDane]

My only questioning of having cycling races is that you can't really control crowds and keep the numbers down in some areas. As I said the Tour is the only race I've seen reported as saying they won't race without all the fans at road side. I suspect many of the others would race without fans on the side of the roads. It would be more difficult to control than an arena for obvious reasons. Although you likely will still have people walk out into their own front yards to cheer, which I can't see being an issue. Fingers crossed we have a treatment approved by sometime in early summer and that should allow sports behind closed doors to take place. Now you do have a point that races without fans on the side of the ride may actually be safer for the riders as there won't be the silly people running beside them.

They can restrict travel, so only the people who actually live in the area will be able to go watch. Subtract the Colombians from the crowd, and the crowd gets significantly smaller (and duller, but that's another matter...)

 

[yaco]

If they are saying let's move this to November, that isn't a good idea for any of the races for any reason.

It's one thing for auto racing to race to December and start again in February. Just don't make any changes to the cars and it's not a problem. But for other sports you need an off season to allow the athletes time to recover and pushing races past Oct means no real time for the riders to recover. If they can even race by September then it should be what one day races and maybe a few one week races can be moved to those dates. They are saying they won't race the Tour "behind closed doors", well it appears that's the only way to have sports at all until fall and possibly until a vaccine. We've had comments today from Governor Cuomo's press briefing that although some things will start reopening before there is a verified treatment and long before a vaccine that it's highly unlikely there will be mass gatherings before a vaccine happens. That means sports can be played, but without fans.

The riders will end up having a four month off-season in the middle of the year - I am desperate to ride a November Vuelta if I am a rider because it gives me a fantastic base for 2021 - You will get nowhere if you aren't flexible in these times - So if you have to shift races, that's what you do.

 

[Koronin]

Koronin, you can´t race some races in december not even in Spain or southern France, the weather could be very bad.
also UCI confirmed the world-champs dates in Aigle the week of Sept 20-27. the Vuelta will have to finish at the latest on Sunday 20th (the men road race is on Sunday 27th)

La Vuelta could finish Sept 20th. They have just said they will not have a race that finishes after Sept 30th. Their race must finish by the end of Sept. That does not preclude it from finishing before that date. As there are no TTTs for the trade teams they aren't going to be that concerned about the whatever it is national ttt thing they tried last year.
If the Tour starts Aug 1st, it ends Aug 23, you can start la Vuelta on Aug 29th and ends Sept 20th. I still was under the impression the Tour wanted racing leading up to the Tour. By racing it in Aug they will be the first race on the revised calendar untess there is a way to race San Sebastian the weekend before, but I doubt many who would race San Sebastian would be going to the Tour under that scenario.

 

[yaco]

His talking about how to reopen is likely going to be similar in Europe to what NY does to what California does. You can't just reopen, it has to be a slow reopening. Governor Cuomo and Governor Newsom have both said that. My Governor has said similar.

Thus the perfect answer for exactly why the Spanish GT CANNOT be raced in Nov when the majority of Spanish races are raced at the START of the next season. Those ARE the riders who ARE racing those races and you are intentionally hurting them by putting la Vuelta at the end of the season only to start the next season in Spain. Unless of course we just move ALL of the Spanish races to AFTER March so those riders can have an off season.

*** - I forgot the Australian summer of cycling runs from early January to Early February - It's simple - Any rider who is riding in November won't be riding in January.

 

[Koronin]

The riders will end up having a four month off-season in the middle of the year - I am desperate to ride a November Vuelta if I am a rider because it gives me a fantastic base for 2021 - You will get nowhere if you aren't flexible in these times - So if you have to shift races, that's what you do.

At this point la Vuelta is saying they either finish the race by the end of Sept or they cancelled it. They are saying they will under no circumstances race la Vuelta after September. Why shift races that already have dates not affected, esp by shifting them several months out.

*** - I forgot the Australian summer of cycling runs from early January to Early February - It's simple - Any rider who is riding in November won't be riding in January.

The Spanish calendar starts at the end of January and the Spanish riders want to race la Vuelta AND the Spanish early season races. Why are we telling Spaniards they have to forfeit racing some of their home races? However, according to la Vuelta if there is racing in Nov it won't be the Spanish Grand Tour. They are saying they finish their race by the end of Sept or they cancel it. Either way they are flat out saying they will not hold it after Sept for any reason.

 

[pastronef]

Ebbe is that you?
ask the team owners and sponsors: would you prefer the Vuelta or the Challenge Mallorca and Vuelta a Valencia?
the 2020 is so disastrous that the LAST thought in riders and teams minds are the early 2021 races many riders use to train and begin their season

 

[RedheadDane]

I suppose there could be an overlap between the Vuelta and the Worlds, providing two things:

1: Communication between the trade teams and the national federations.
2: Riders being allowed to drop out of the Vuelta, and start at the (early) World Championships races.

Now, let's say Rohan Dennis starts the Vuelta, I think INEOS would allow him to drop out and go race the World's ITT for the Australian team.
Similarily - if there ends up being non-World's racing during the final weekend of the Worlds; I think Trek would allow Pedersen to go race the RR for the Danish team, even if he's gonna be able to defend his title. However, if there is a non-Worlds race, and Pedersen actually opts to race that instead of the Worlds... would he be allowed to wear the rainbow jersey? And if the Worlds finishes first, would he have to stop and change jersey?

 

[KZD]

Koronin, I don't see a problem of Spanish riders racing the Vuelta in October or even Novemberand then their local races in February. They would still have plenty of time to rest in between...

Anyway, being realistic I am getting more pessimistic about the possibility of returning to racing since event without public they would still need gatherings of around 200 people excluding the staff. The travel from beyond the borders of those countries could also be affected, and although I think riders and staff could still be allowed to travel as you as their countries aren't severely affected anymore a mandatory quarentine for new arrivals would likely still be in place which would severely hinder even one day races.

 

[Pantani_lives]

I wouldn't mind if Paris-Roubaix and the Vuelta took place at the same time. The five monuments and the world championships could be on six consecutive weekends, and some of the other classics mid-week. However looking at the current statistics it's still doubtful whether there will be much room for racing at all this year.

 

[spalco]

Is it logistically possible to run two GTs concurrently? The larger teams would have enough riders I think, but do they have enough cars, trucks, mechanics, etc?

Obviously it's a unique situation, but I'm sceptical of extending the season into november. Running the Giro in late september/october is a risk, and even in Spain it can get cold at that time of the year too.

I understand the need to run those races, financial, athletic, mental etc but as bad as skipping a year would be, it's could be worse.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Here is what i think is going to happen. In April mostly indoor training on individual level. In May i do expect for the corona situation to settle down to the extent pro cyclist will be able to train again normally. Outdoor and in team. Tour will get postponed for a month. Such time frame enables everybody to prepare optimally.

 

[RedheadDane]

Here is what i think is going to happen. In April mostly indoor training on individual level. In May i do expect for the corona situation to settle down to the extent pro cyclist will be able to train again normally. Outdoor and in team. Tour will get postponed for a month. Such time frame enables everybody to prepare optimally.

Lockdown in France has already been extended to May 11.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Yes but that is one month from now and countries will tighten or loosen the rules based on the actual situation. I feel that as far as the normal outdoor pro cycling training is concerned, that should be possible again in May.

 

[yaco]

At this point la Vuelta is saying they either finish the race by the end of Sept or they cancelled it. They are saying they will under no circumstances race la Vuelta after September. Why shift races that already have dates not affected, esp by shifting them several months out.



The Spanish calendar starts at the end of January and the Spanish riders want to race la Vuelta AND the Spanish early season races. Why are we telling Spaniards they have to forfeit racing some of their home races? However, according to la Vuelta if there is racing in Nov it won't be the Spanish Grand Tour. They are saying they finish their race by the end of Sept or they cancel it. Either way they are flat out saying they will not hold it after Sept for any reason.

You are in another world - It's not only Spanish riders who participate in the Vuelta, the Aussie races and the early season Spanish races - How about the early season French races ?

 

[spalco]

I think it would be fair, if any such a race happens in late 2020, the UCI should allow any team to not participate and also to open up the calendar completely for the rest of the season. It would be unfair for some races who turn out not to be affected by the epidemic to suffer further in place of earlier-season races.

I still also believe though that all of that is fantasy anyway, at least as long as football, formula 1, tennis, hockey and other sports that have a bigger impact than cycling don't restart. Hope I'm proven wrong.

The only thing that might save cycling is the tourist ad value, I'm sure France in particular will be keen to show everything's fine again and the country beautiful as ever. But the situation is so ugly at the moment that it seems almost tasteless to speculate about that right now.

 

[Sciatic]

Cyclisme. Exclusif : le Tour de France débutera le 29 août

Selon les informations du Dauphiné Libéré, le Tour de France aura lieu du 29 août au 20 septembre.

www.ledauphine.com

not sure this has been verified elsewhere?

 

[Koronin]

I think it would be fair, if any such a race happens in late 2020, the UCI should allow any team to not participate and also to open up the calendar completely for the rest of the season. It would be unfair for some races who turn out not to be affected by the epidemic to suffer further in place of earlier-season races.

I still also believe though that all of that is fantasy anyway, at least as long as football, formula 1, tennis, hockey and other sports that have a bigger impact than cycling don't restart. Hope I'm proven wrong.

The only thing that might save cycling is the tourist ad value, I'm sure France in particular will be keen to show everything's fine again and the country beautiful as ever. But the situation is so ugly at the moment that it seems almost tasteless to speculate about that right now.

I don't expect the NHL to restart before next season. They made a comment when they suspended the season that they would not restart it if they could not honor the tradition of the sport.

I suspect auto racing and possibly baseball to be the most likely sports to restart first. Baseball because it's not a contact sport. Plus MLB is looking at ways to confine the teams to their spring training areas which is in two states and play this season based on those two locations. I do agree that stadium sports will start first because it is smaller number of people and it can be confined to a specific location.

 

[hayneplane]

Whilst the pandemic is still growing in most countries it seems pointless trying to plan for any sport that requires personnel to cross borders before late August at the very earliest.

It would make most sense to stop looking at it race by race in a short term manner and have all teams and riders treat the next 8 weeks as their season break and train at winter base level intensity.

That way it would be possible to continue the season until mid/late November then resume with the TDU/Spanish Races/San Juan etc in January.

Shifting existing later season races from their slots feels unfair and is a different debate than the concept of extending the season.

I am sure the riders will be very keen to compete by then and would far rather be racing than training

 

[Kaptain Kool]

In recent seasons, Valverde has been riding the UAE Tour. Would he really want to jeopardize his late February form by racing the Vuelta in October or November? Especially in what could be his final season?

 

[spalco]

In recent seasons, Valverde has been riding the UAE Tour. Would he really want to jeopardize his late February form by racing the Vuelta in October or November? Especially in what could be his final season?

Are you joking? Valverde would probably sacrifice his firstborn if he could win the vuelta again.

 

[tobydawq]

Are you joking?

Yes.

 

[Black Betsy]

First it was Tour Of Japan, now this...

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[Berflamand]

UCI press release about revised road calendar: https://www.uci.org/road/news/2020/...-revised-2020-uci-international-road-calendar

In short:

• No races until 1st July, no WorldTour races until 1st August
• TDF from 29 August to 20 September
• No changes for Worlds
• Giro after Worlds, Vuelta after Giro
• National Championships in the weekend of 22-23 August
• The Monuments will take place this year but dates still to be defined

Let's hope the virus will diminish soon enough to allow this new calendar to be possible in 2020.

 

[RedheadDane]

So... there will probably be more riders than usually who leaves the Tour on purpose.