Effects of coronavirus on professional races

[Mayomaniac]

Maybe the weather will also be a factor. Ok, not a big one in the Tour, maybe no heatwave durning the 2nd week, but racing in Northern Spain at the start of November will be really different from the usual Vuelta weather.

 

[RedheadDane]

Any news on the World's?

 

[CyclistAbi]

One thing we can say for sure. Virtual races are currently nowhere near, compared to the actual races.

 

[Escarabajo]

Team Illuminate won't be riding until mid-November for safety reasons.

https://www.revistamundociclistico....-estara-fuera-de-competencia-indefinidamente/

 

[Mayomaniac]

It's gonna be interesting to see if the riders who live in countries that allowed them to train outside durning the lockdown like Belgium or Switzerland will have an advantage over those who could only train at home on the rolls durning that time.

 

[SKSemtex]

Looking at present word numbers in COVID-19 development I start to be very pessimistic again regarding the cycling races this year.

On one side I read that China started new strict measurements with less than 100 new cases (it means this virus is really serious) and on the other hand, I read about easing measurements in US with over 30 000 new daily cases- No face mask no social distancing. With border opening (because we cannot survive without one summer vacation by the sea) it means we are a few weeks from another lockdown.

 

[Faserr]

Racing in Europe should be possible this summer. In the US and Brazil they have other strategies (if we call call this a strategy..) and so I don't think european cyclist well be allowed to go there soon.
The riders from North and Soutamerica will have some problems to travel to europe I think. Perhaps they have to go into quaranteene for 2 weeks, but that would be hard before a grand tours. For professionell cyclists strict testing could be enough, too, but I don't think the governements here care about that.
But I agree, the situation for the races isn't very safe. Even the situation in europe can change fast, because we open again a lot (at least in germany).

 

[search]

For professionell cyclists strict testing could be enough, too, but I don't think the governements here care about that.

the UCI has released a protocol for the resumption of races a couple of days ago:

https://www.uci.org/docs/default-source/medical/re-opening-of-the-season---procedures-to-be-followed.pdf?sfvrsn=ae9309e7_4

So all riders and staff need to be tested fairly regularly, before the start of every race, also during long stage races. For small teams, this could be a big issue of course, and basically mean that many races below .PRO level will be cancelled this year. Spending thousands of Euro for tests and additional accomodation... this is nothing a (pro-)continental team can do every week.

The riders from North and Soutamerica will have some problems to travel to europe I think.

Most Colombians will take the flight mid-July, also Team Medellin (for example) will come over to Europe to race over here instead. So it is also expensive of course, but possible, and if they need to be tested by UCI guidelines anyway, this may also be enough to avoid quarantine (in some countries).

 

[Lequack]

Racing in Europe should be possible this summer. In the US and Brazil they have other strategies (if we call call this a strategy..) and so I don't think european cyclist well be allowed to go there soon.

Actually there is a National Champs Slovenian race is today in 2 hours (2PM). Check the thread about it here:

2020 National Championships

It has been almost three months since Quintana schooled his rivals while Schachmann hung on for the overall win on the Valdeblore La Colmiane in the race that refused to die while the rest of Europe was packing down quickly. But in 13 days, there will be another bike race, and no phoney virtual...

forum.cyclingnews.com

Competing are (among othere):
Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma)
Tadej Pogacar and Jan Polanc (UAE)
Luka Mezgec (Michelton Scott)
Matej Mohoric, Jan Tratnik, Domen Novak and Luka Pibernik (all Bahrain Merida)

 

[KZD]

Looking at present word numbers in COVID-19 development I start to be very pessimistic again regarding the cycling races this year.

On one side I read that China started new strict measurements with less than 100 new cases (it means this virus is really serious) and on the other hand, I read about easing measurements in US with over 30 000 new daily cases- No face mask no social distancing. With border opening (because we cannot survive without one summer vacation by the sea) it means we are a few weeks from another lockdown.

I think a second lockdown is unlikely because the economic cost will be too great (this one already caused the deepest recession since the Great Depression) and most people already adapted their behaviour to the virus.

Having said that, I do have some concerns about lifting the travel bans within Europan countries but most countries are having a positive evolution anyway and hotel occupancy rates are still very low overall and consisting mostly of domestic tourism.

I think the key is learning how to live with the virus and most people already seemed to have learnt the lesson so I expect most races to go ahead at least in August and maybe September.

 

[Sciatic]

I’ve been reading lately that updated epidemiological assessments seem to indicate outdoor transmission is less likely than previously assumed (sorry can’t find source ATM). So maybe cycling—from the audience perspective— is less of a risk than some sports. However riding in the peloton for 4-6 g hours seems like the bigger risk, since riders won’t wear masks, are tightly packed, cough (the guys who really do have asthma), spit, etc. we’ll see I guess?

 

[Faserr]

I also think that the risk for infection in the peleton isn't very high. Of course the teams and organizer also have to make sure that the riders and the staff don't have corona while traveling to the races. Then it's relatively easy to minimize the contact to other people at the races. The possiblity to bring corona to the race bubble (riders and stuff) isn't very high then. The german football league does it like that in germany, too and the UCI trys to do it with the corona protocol. A positive test in the peloton would be the end for at least the team of the infectet rider I think. I don't think they would cancel the whole race, but I am not sure. There will be more knowledge in 2021 and I think cycling has a good chance to find a system that works during he pandemic.

 

[search]

I also think that the risk for infection in the peleton isn't very high.

I tend to agree. I mean, in UAE tour for example there were (almost?) no prevention measures in force, and still only a handful of riders got infected.

 

[hayneplane]

I think the US based riders could be struggling to be allowed to come over to Europe for the resumed season or will have to come soon and serve a 14 day quarantine before being allowed out to train.

 

[SKSemtex]

I am talking about risks of catching the virus in the peloton, I am talking about the basic pandemic rules, almost 200 000 new daily cases in a day, and opening the air traveling in the same time. Yes, the mortality went down considerably but this is the disease we still know nothing about, midterm, and long term impact of the disease still have to be evaluated. Unfortunately, we live in a world of debts where we cannot stop "growing" for a few single months. Sooner or later our children and grandchildren will pay for it.

 

[BlueRoads]

I am talking about risks of catching the virus in the peloton, I am talking about the basic pandemic rules, almost 200 000 new daily cases in a day, and opening the air traveling in the same time. Yes, the mortality went down considerably but this is the disease we still know nothing about, midterm, and long term impact of the disease still have to be evaluated. Unfortunately, we live in a world of debts where we cannot stop "growing" for a few single months. Sooner or later our children and grandchildren will pay for it.

While I agree that our children and grandchildren will have to pay for a lot and that we live in a world of debts, it is not abnormal that we can not afford to not work for months. In fact throughout history there has hardly been a time when people could have done/ afforded what we did (in Europe) - or even cared. There have been lots of diseases and apart from the pestilence which had a letality of 40-100 % none made countries lockdown completely. It is rather abnormal that we can rely on the hope that there will be a vaccine or a treatment or both within years.

Regarding races: The biggest threat to them happening I think are notable outbreaks among the spectators in the first races. It seems the organizers are mostly determined to hold the races with spectators. And economically they are standing on shaky feet. Psychologically the will to return to normality is very strong now, so I don't think they will be completely cancelled, but they might be put under strict changed conditions so that organizers think it's not worth it.

 

[SKSemtex]

While I agree that our children and grandchildren will have to pay for a lot and that we live in a world of debts, it is not abnormal that we can not afford to not work for months. In fact throughout history there has hardly been a time when people could have done/ afforded what we did (in Europe) - or even cared. There have been lots of diseases and apart from the pestilence which had a letality of 40-100 % none made countries lockdown completely. It is rather abnormal that we can rely on the hope that there will be a vaccine or a treatment or both within years.

Regarding races: The biggest threat to them happening I think are notable outbreaks among the spectators in the first races. It seems the organizers are mostly determined to hold the races with spectators. And economically they are standing on shaky feet. Psychologically the will to return to normality is very strong now, so I don't think they will be completely cancelled, but they might be put under strict changed conditions so that organizers think it's not worth it.

I am not in favor of total lockdown. But I assume that wearing the face mask, social distancing, restricting summer vacation traveling, avoiding the mass gathering could be handled for more than 2 months without economy collapsing.

 

[Oldermanish]

Actually there is a National Champs Slovenian race is today in 2 hours (2PM). Check the thread about it here:

2020 National Championships

It has been almost three months since Quintana schooled his rivals while Schachmann hung on for the overall win on the Valdeblore La Colmiane in the race that refused to die while the rest of Europe was packing down quickly. But in 13 days, there will be another bike race, and no phoney virtual...

forum.cyclingnews.com

Competing are (among othere):
Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma)
Tadej Pogacar and Jan Polanc (UAE)
Luka Mezgec (Michelton Scott)
Matej Mohoric, Jan Tratnik, Domen Novak and Luka Pibernik (all Bahrain Merida)

Their situation was reportedly as safe as possible: no reported active Slovenian C19 cases and an entire race of locals. Haven's seen it yet if anyone has an English link, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Lequack]

Their situation was reportedly as safe as possible: no reported active Slovenian C19 cases and an entire race of locals. Haven's seen it yet if anyone has an English link, I'd appreciate it.

There was no English coverage but there are some links in the National Champs thread:
https://forum.cyclingnews.com/threads/2020-national-championships.35974/

 

[Faserr]

The Adria-Tour in Tennis shows what cycling should not do and that is to think that Corona is over. There are videos with Djokovic (world number one) partying with other players at a club after the games.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8gnZHWiRXg


Surprise, surprise, a lot of players including the world number one in tennis are positive now. I don't know if they did test the players before the tournament but that would be useless when they are partying after the matches...

 

[Escarabajo]

On 19 of July Bernal and the other Colombians athletes travel to Europe. Hope for a good pilot. If something happens to that plane there goes Colombian cycling.

 

[BlueRoads]

On 19 of July Bernal and the other Colombians athletes travel to Europe. Hope for a good pilot. If something happens to that plane there goes Colombian cycling.

Don't -
okay, I'm not superstitious. But since things like that have really happened, the thought is a little scary.

 

[tobydawq]

Don't -
okay, I'm not superstitious. But since things like that have really happened, the thought is a little scary.

Sometimes during the Tour, the entire peloton has been on a single plane. In 2018, when travelling from Roubaix to the Alps the day before the first rest day, the flight was very turbulent according to Geraint Thomas' book, and Luke Rowe made some quite morbid jokes to the same effect as what you're talking about.

 

[search]

it also will be interesting to see what's the plan for the Colombians, and what influence it will have on their schedule. France seems to allow everyone without symptoms to enter the country without quarantine, no matter where they are from, most others in the EU don't (and as infection numbers in Colombia are relatively high, I guess it may stay like that for a while).

Betancur for example is listed for Strade Bianche. Under current Italian regulations, that wouldn't work out, as far as I can see.

 

[Faserr]

It looks like the EU will band travel from the US, Brazil and Russia in July, too.

E.U. May Bar American Travelers as It Reopens Borders, Citing Failures on Virus (Published 2020)

European Union officials are racing to agree on who can visit the bloc as of July 1 based on how countries of origin are faring with new coronavirus cases. Americans, so far, are excluded, according to draft lists seen by The New York Times.

www.nytimes.com

The exceptions, which are now in place, are listed on the official homepage of the EU-Page. One expception is for employers which "are important for the post-corona recovery".
If the EU continues to ban travel from countries, which haven't COVID-19 under control, there could be some problems for riders from the continent America.