Effects of coronavirus on professional races

[wansteadimp]

The only really two GT GC contenders who can win any of the monuments are Nibali and Valverde. Likely Nibali goes to the Giro while Valverde goes to la Vuelta. No idea what else Nibali is planning on racing, but Valverde basically said Tour, Worlds, Vuelta. Sounded like he wasn't going to race anything other than those 3 races.

You don't think Bernal & Roglic can improve on their il Lombardia performance from last year and you've ruled Pinot out as a GT GC contender?

 

[search]

what is the problem with National Championshisp though, especially in countries like Germany? There is no interest in those, no TV coverage, barely any press attending them. If they take place in the right location, the riders wouldn't even necessarily need to spend a night in a hotel.

Of course, some restrictions would need to be lifted first, but then it's actually fairly easy to get them organized, I think.

 

[del1962]

You don't think Bernal & Roglic can improve on their il Lombardia performance from last year and you've ruled Pinot out as a GT GC contender?

Is Mollema a GT contender aswell?

 

[wansteadimp]

Is Mollema a GT contender aswell?

Possibly. I went for obvious anomalies - Pinot had a chance to win a GT last year until his injury, I'm not convinced Mollema ever stood a chance of winning the Giro despite finishing 5th but I guess he is a contender.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

For national championships, the Tour can't risk rider (or anyone else involved with the Tour) contact with people outside of a small group. Nationals have too many people involved, including ProConti and Continental Teams, that won't be involved with the Tour. You can have the Nationals, but no one involved with the Tour should participate.

Lombardia doesn't impact the Giro discussion since riders can still ride both. Only the AGR and LBL overlap. None of Bernal, Roglic, Mollema nor Pinot are contenders for those. Maybe Roglic could be but he hasn't shown it.
Of course, Mollema isn't a GT contender. IMHO neither is Pinot. Since finishing on the Tour podium 6 years ago (8 min behind the winner!), he has more DNFs than finishes in GTs and was only remotely involved in the GC of one (2017 Giro).

 

[RedheadDane]

What's the situation regarding the Grande Partenza? They're not actually going to Budapest anyway, are they? Are they doing like they're doing for the Vuelta, with the stage that should have been stage 4 becoming stage 1, and the Grande Partenza ending up being on Sicily two years in a row?

 

[SafeBet]

What's the situation regarding the Grande Partenza? They're not actually going to Budapest anyway, are they? Are they doing like they're doing for the Vuelta, with the stage that should have been stage 4 becoming stage 1, and the Grande Partenza ending up being on Sicily two years in a row?

Apparently they decided to have 3 stages around Sesto San Giovanni, which is incidentally the place where I live.
This is to compensate for the fact I already had everything planned and booked in Budapest for the original Grande Partenza.

Jokes aside, nothing official has been stated. I guess starting in Sicily and shorten the Giro to 18 stages is the likeliest option.

 

[yaco]

I don't see the point of the Nationals being right before the Tour. I doubt that will happen. You can have teams isolated in France and ride the Dauphine beforehand. But you can't have the same riders in Nationals a week before, riding with a bunch of riders and mixing with other people who won't be involved with the Tour a week before the Grand Depart. That will be too risky.

Teams will obtain exemptions combined with pre-race testing for Covid 19 - In saying that the National Championships should be in November if possible.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I suppose there is no chance the Giro / Vuelta rest days would be moved from Monday to Sunday to avoid clashing with monuments ?

 

[pastronef]

Jokes aside, nothing official has been stated. I guess starting in Sicily and shorten the Giro to 18 stages is the likeliest option.

I really hope so, so it frees up the week end and it won´t clash with the "planned" last stage on BinckBank (Saturday Oct 3) and Liege (Sunday Oct 4)

 

[BlueRoads]

Lombardia doesn't impact the Giro discussion since riders can still ride both. Only the AGR and LBL overlap. None of Bernal, Roglic, Mollema nor Pinot are contenders for those. Maybe Roglic could be but he hasn't shown it.
Of course, Mollema isn't a GT contender. IMHO neither is Pinot. Since finishing on the Tour podium 6 years ago (8 min behind the winner!), he has more DNFs than finishes in GTs and was only remotely involved in the GC of one (2017 Giro).

What! Pinot has shown he has what it takes to win the Tour last summer. I don't believe in curses, he was unlucky (or maybe a little stupid, but that does not mean he always is) in the crosswinds and he had the strength and stamina. He also improved his descending. Maybe he's fragile, but that just means everything needs to work out for him. But he's definitely a contender. Roglic is probably not very interested in Liège or something, no matter if he could win it.

I don't think races will happen like they are planned there, by the way.

 

[RedheadDane]

I suppose there is no chance the Giro / Vuelta rest days would be moved from Monday to Sunday to avoid clashing with monuments ?

Why? Riders won't be able to race both anyway.
As for watching both; heard of second screen?

 

[tobydawq]

What! Pinot has shown he has what it takes to win the Tour last summer. I don't believe in curses, he was unlucky (or maybe a little stupid, but that does not mean he always is) in the crosswinds and he had the strength and stamina. He also improved his descending. Maybe he's fragile, but that just means everything needs to work out for him. But he's definitely a contender. Roglic is probably not very interested in Liège or something, no matter if he could win it.

Word!

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Why? Riders won't be able to race both anyway.
As for watching both; heard of second screen?

As a male, I am only able to watch one thing at once. Might catch up with the highlights of the previous stage on the rest day then

 

[Jagartrott]

Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix: finally wet editions. At their original dates these races would have been dry and sunny yet again this year. Mid-October - early November almost guarantees wet cobbles (from rain or dew).

 

[Sciatic]

Lombardia scheduled for Nov 14: seems like ice and perhaps snow on the summits could be an issue .

 

[Koronin]

You don't think Bernal & Roglic can improve on their il Lombardia performance from last year and you've ruled Pinot out as a GT GC contender?

Racing the Tour and Lombardi shouldn't interfere with each other. I don't see Bernal, Roglic, and specially Pinot racing the Giro or Vuelta. Racing the Tour as the only GT isn't going to interview with Lombardia and none of that group has been a contender for LBL. Nibali will target the Giro and Valverde la Vuelta. Those two GTs will have much bigger impact on Lombardia and the Tour will have an impact on racing the Ardennes.

 

[hayneplane]

Not aimed at me but will take this on. I think Bernal and Roglic are both capable of winning Lombardy and Roglic could also win Liege if he really targeted his early season at the Ardennes.

Pinot is a very talented and likeable guy but I feel like he is lot like Richie Porte in that he has the top end level to be able to win a Grand Tour but is too brittle and prone to a jour sans or injury/illness hitting right when in prime contention.

 

[Koronin]

I think Germany has already been cancelled. France is in serious danger. Denmark has been indefinitely postponed.
Dunno about any other countries.

I think you're correct about Germany. With all the races in Spain already cancelled except the Vuelta and National Championships I wouldn't be surprised if the National championships are next to be cancelled. I also read where the Worlds said they may make a decision in early June.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

Teams will obtain exemptions combined with pre-race testing for Covid 19 - In saying that the National Championships should be in November if possible.

Yes, I don't think there will be legal or official barriers to holding Nationals before the Tour. But practically, it's too big of a risk.
Holding the Tour is extremely important for the sport and it can be done with a very disciplined isolation and testing protocol. Risking potential positive cases for the Nationals would be foolish.

 

[gregrowlerson]

With this calendar I am afraid the Giro will get a poor field.
And probably will be fun to watch. No clear favorites.

To be fair, I think that the Giro was set for a relatively weak field this year anyway, at least as far as the GC was concerned.

 

[SafeBet]

Lombardia scheduled for Nov 14: seems like ice and perhaps snow on the summits could be an issue .

Depends on the route.
Snow below 1000 mt is possible but not likely in Lombardy that time of the year.

 

[Berflamand]

The UCI has officially confirmed the new calendar:

-1st August: Strade Bianche (Italy)

-5-9 August: Tour de Pologne (Poland)

-8 August: Milano-Sanremo (Italy)

-12-16 August: Critérium du Dauphiné (France)

-16 August: Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic (Great Britain)

-25 August: Bretagne Classic - Ouest-France (France)

-29 August -20 September : Tour de France (France)

-7-14 September: Tirreno-Adriatico (Italy)

-11 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (Canada)

-13 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (Canada)

-29 September -3 October: BinckBank Tour

-30 September: La Flèche Wallonne (Belgium)

-3-25 October: Giro d'Italia (Italy)

-4 October: Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Belgium)

-10 October: Amstel Gold Race (the Netherlands)

-11 October: Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields (Belgium)

-14 October: A Travers la Flandre (Belgium)

-15-20 October: Gree - Tour of Guangxi (China)

-18 October: Tour des Flandres (Belgium)

-20 October - 8 November: Vuelta Ciclista a España (Spain)

-21 October: Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne (Belgium)

-25 October: Paris-Roubaix (France)

-31 October: Il Lombardia (Italy)

 

[spalco]

The UCI has officially confirmed the new calendar:

[snip]

I mean, I think it's crazy, but it's also awesome crazy in a way. Paris-Roubaix in october could be especially punishing.

We'll if it happens...

 

[RedheadDane]

-12-16 August: Critérium du Dauphiné (France)

-25 August: Bretagne Classic - Ouest-France (France)

UCI has been given a dispensensation against the French "crowd-rule"? Or will those races be behind "closed doors"?