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Effects of coronavirus on professional races

Page 95 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Good news everyone!

ASO has worked out an agreement with RCS to create the new race Paris-Roubaix-Rome to be held on April 11st.
The final decision was made after a successful meeting between the two organizations and the riders represented by Maximilian Schachmann.
Huge if true;)
The cobbles that they used in the Giro del Lazio back in the 90ies make even the Forest of Arenberg look like gentle urban cobbles.
 
That are some nasty looking cobbles and some good old quality cars.

That's Via Appia Antica. Basically it's a very straight road from Roma's Porta San Sebastiano to Mausoleo di Gallieno. It's mostly cobbled. Some cobbles are new city cobbles, but some are antique and very nasty. And the scenery is beautiful.

1024px-Via_appia.jpg
 
Why do the authorities in that region hate cycling?

I guess it could be held a week after the World Championships where all the right riders should be in top shape, if it was to come to that.

Well, there you go. It has just been announced that this indeed will be the new calendar spot for Roubaix.

Really annoying that we have to wait another half a year but for a Sagan fan like me, this is definitely not bad news only.
 
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Ofcourse a bummer it's delayed again, but the new date is really good, a week after the world's race is in Leuven with some cobbled climbs, so I can see most of those main protagonists combining this with Roubaix.

And for once we'll get 2 times Roubaix over the course of 6 months.
 
A shame that the men's and women's races won't be held on the same day, but hopefully we'll be able to get full coverage of both races then. The CN article says that it doesn't matter that they now overlap with Giro dell'Emilia because they suit different rider types, but I wouldn't be surprised if the field of the Giro dell'Emilia Donne will be weakened by it.

But lets just hope all the races are actually going to be held this year, cause all these postponements/cancellations are worse than actually riding on cobblestones!
 
A shame that the men's and women's races won't be held on the same day, but hopefully we'll be able to get full coverage of both races then. The CN article says that it doesn't matter that they now overlap with Giro dell'Emilia because they suit different rider types, but I wouldn't be surprised if the field of the Giro dell'Emilia Donne will be weakened by it.

But lets just hope all the races are actually going to be held this year, cause all these postponements/cancellations are worse than actually riding on cobblestones!

Why is that a shame?
 
April is actually one of the driest months, so it can only be better. :D
On average, sure. However, as I've previously stated, Google the weather forecast for Roubaix, France. Precipitation is predicted essentially every day for a week leading up to the originally scheduled start date. The cobbles would have been delightfully muddy.

Oh well, Roubaix twice in 6 months and right after the Worlds will still be really nice, if it indeeds runs... My current stance is "I'll believe it when I see it"
 
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Because I think the women's race would be able to enjoy a larger audience (spectators on the road if allowed/TV rating) if it was raced on the same date as the men's.
While that is true, it only works if there is no overlap between the races. I hate to put any brakes on the rise of Women's cycling, but any kind of combined coverage (as in overlapped, not sequential races) would be worse for both.

Marathon running and its broadcasts are always pained by combined starts and even staggered starts where action in one race happens during the finish of another.
 
I suppose it boils down to regions.
The Great Amazing Cheese Race, which was supposed to have been held just two days after P-R has sadly - but understandably - already been cancelled/postponed. However, Roue Tourangelle this Sunday appears to be on, so do Grand Besancon (16th) and Tour du Jura (17th)
 
While that is true, it only works if there is no overlap between the races. I hate to put any brakes on the rise of Women's cycling, but any kind of combined coverage (as in overlapped, not sequential races) would be worse for both.

Marathon running and its broadcasts are always pained by combined starts and even staggered starts where action in one race happens during the finish of another.
I like the recent change of letting the women finish one hour and a half after the men. That still leaves time for half an hour of post-race coverage for the men, followed by the final hour of the women's race. Many people continue watching and there's no scheduling conflict.

On Wout Van Aert: It looks like he'll do Brabantse Pijl and Amstel instead of Roubaix. However I don't think he'll do Liège. I would like to see him in that race. He's a good enough climber, and he would have an excellent domestique named Primoz Roglic.;)
 

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