Effects of coronavirus on professional races

[CyclistAbi]

I had a hunch and checked. Indeed there are elections nearing in France.

 

[Earns1985]

According to this article

"79 per cent of WorldTeam members have been vaccinated."

"In a survey of teams taken between October and November 2021, some had vaccination rates as low as 40 per cent."

"However, most of the teams should meet the requirements: three-quarters of the teams have more than 80 per cent of their members vaccinated."

UCI recommends strict measures in third season of COVID-19 pandemic

Belgian teams prepared, Van Avermaet: I'm not some kind of Djokovic

www.cyclingnews.com

So 79 % are not 100%, so we will definetly see some effects out of it.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

UCI recommends strict measures in third season of COVID-19 pandemic

Belgian teams prepared, Van Avermaet: I'm not some kind of Djokovic

www.cyclingnews.com

97 per cent of members of Women's WorldTeams, 86 per cent of ProTeam members and 79 per cent of WorldTeam members have been vaccinated.

So top level men are 50 per cent more likely to be unvaccinated than second tier riders, and 7 times more likely than top level women.
That's quite a discrepancy: is there something in the male pro-sports mindset that correlates to immunisation refusal? Or what else is at play?

 

[SafeBet]

UCI recommends strict measures in third season of COVID-19 pandemic

Belgian teams prepared, Van Avermaet: I'm not some kind of Djokovic

www.cyclingnews.com

So top level men are 50 per cent more likely to be unvaccinated than second tier riders, and 7 times more likely than top level women.
That's quite a discrepancy: is there something in the male pro-sports mindset that correlates to immunisation refusal? Or what else is at play?

I have no explanation, but 79% is ocnsiderably lower than the % you see in other pro sports.
Both the NFL and NBA claimed an above 90% vaccination rate among their players, for instance.

 

[Berflamand]

Could the explanation be that certain teams like UAE have been vaccinated with other vaccines that are not authorised by Europe like Sinopharm (for UAE)?

The article says:

"A rider would earn a Health Pass within a week to four weeks of a full course of vaccination with any of the shots authorised in Europe: Pfizer's Comirnaty, Moderna's Spikevax, the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, AstraZeneca Vaxseveria or Novovax Nuvaxovid vaccines, or a week after a PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection."

That could be a problem for Pogacar and his teammates. Maybe teams like Astana have the same problem?

 

[yaco]

The pre-testing and in-testing protocols along with the rules around masks, social distancing and hand hygiene are the most important factor when it comes to holding races, especially stage races - Vaccination is a back up tool.

 

[BlueRoads]

Could the explanation be that certain teams like UAE have been vaccinated with other vaccines that are not authorised by Europe like Sinopharm (for UAE)?

The article says:

"A rider would earn a Health Pass within a week to four weeks of a full course of vaccination with any of the shots authorised in Europe: Pfizer's Comirnaty, Moderna's Spikevax, the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, AstraZeneca Vaxseveria or Novovax Nuvaxovid vaccines, or a week after a PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection."

That could be a problem for Pogacar and his teammates. Maybe teams like Astana have the same problem?

I think that could be the reason, but I also think it won't be a problem, if necessary they will get vaccinated with other vaccines in addition, I'm sure.

 

[Koronin]

Could the explanation be that certain teams like UAE have been vaccinated with other vaccines that are not authorised by Europe like Sinopharm (for UAE)?

The article says:

"A rider would earn a Health Pass within a week to four weeks of a full course of vaccination with any of the shots authorised in Europe: Pfizer's Comirnaty, Moderna's Spikevax, the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, AstraZeneca Vaxseveria or Novovax Nuvaxovid vaccines, or a week after a PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection."

That could be a problem for Pogacar and his teammates. Maybe teams like Astana have the same problem?

That's a good point and likely where some of the discrepancy is. I suspect if this is the case many of those riders will find some place they can get an authorized vaccine for Europe.

 

[Earns1985]

And there it is:

"A few riders of FDJ will miss the beginning of the season, because the are unvaccinated." Team doctor Jacky Maillot confirmed this to the portal sans-filtre.fr

Geniez wegen häuslicher Gewalt vor Gericht | radsport-news.com

www.radsport-news.com

 

[Ranagazoo]

Pretty sure the entire peloton will be getting vaccinated pretty quickly now.

 

[hayneplane]

Although it seems to hitting much of Western Europe much harder at the moment, hopefully some of their governments will look at what's happening in The UK and not implement any further measures which might impact the cycling schedules. Cases have plummeting here for over a week now. Omicron really does fall off a cliff it seems.

This is not meant as a nationalistic boast, I detest our current government. We were hit with it first so hopefully it won't be too long before the same effect is seen elsewhere.

If only that was fully true. We in the UK have achieved such massive apparent drops in cases through a combination of not counting reinfections in the daily totals and changing the testing and reporting requirements meaning far fewer PCR tests are carried out and many positive LFTs go unreported.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Professional cyclists are in the end just people and i feel it is reasonable to expect most of them will comply. Said that some level of opposition to mandatory vaccination (for the nth time) is likely to emerge. Like it happened in most other sports i follow.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

At least the new rules will mean that teams, especially the smaller ones, won't have to use a lot of money to get their riders tested before every race (if they're vaccinated). And then if some kind of outbreak happens during or after a race, the UCI can always change their rules again, but they obviously can't do anything in regard to local policies.

 

[yaco]

Actually testing is a more important tool then vaccination in holding races - There is no point having no or limited testing and having COVID spread through the peleton - Testing pre and during the race is paramount.

 

[tobydawq]

Actually testing is a more important tool then vaccination in holding races - There is no point having no or limited testing and having COVID spread through the peleton - Testing pre and during the race is paramount.

Well, if they don't realise they have it and are not symptomatic, what's the problem? I think that with Omicron it's important that governments and organisers begin dialing the hysteria down (sorry if this is inappropriate to write on this forum) and stop monitoring maniacally for a not very serious disease.

I wouldn't bet on this happening already from the start of the season but certainly, when we have reached April (and if we haven't gotten a new, more patogenic strain), there really is no need for this continued testing.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Actually testing is a more important tool then vaccination in holding races - There is no point having no or limited testing and having COVID spread through the peleton - Testing pre and during the race is paramount.

This is true, but unless the UCI either fully or partially reimburse the teams for the extra costs, it crrates problems for smaller teams. I thinkwe have to wait and see the effects of the rules, and if they do lead to a bad incident, then it would only be right to change them again.

 

[Netserk]

Actually testing is a more important tool then vaccination in holding races - There is no point having no or limited testing and having COVID spread through the peleton - Testing pre and during the race is paramount.

That depends on the current epidemic backdrop. The situation now with very high levels of cases (dominated by Omicron), but with very minor illness (thanks to the vaccines), it is no longer important (for the professional peloton) to keep cases at a minimum and test intensively. It's important to reduce harm and the use of critical resources (like hospital capacity), which is why vaccines are more important now than testing.

It doesn't matter if COVID spreads throughout the peloton (at this stage) if riders aren't harmed by it.

 

[yaco]

That depends on the current epidemic backdrop. The situation now with very high levels of cases (dominated by Omicron), but with very minor illness (thanks to the vaccines), it is no longer important (for the professional peloton) to keep cases at a minimum and test intensively. It's important to reduce harm and the use of critical resources (like hospital capacity), which is why vaccines are more important now than testing.

It doesn't matter if COVID spreads throughout the peloton (at this stage) if riders aren't harmed by it.

I am not worried about COVID spreading through peleton as most will catch it when they are not racing - But it is important to take all steps such as pre-testing before races and testing during races ( especially stage races ) to stop COVID spreading at a race.

 

[Netserk]

I am not worried about COVID spreading through peleton as most will catch it when they are not racing - But it is important to take all steps such as pre-testing before races and testing during races ( especially stage races ) to stop COVID spreading at a race.

Why would it matter that it spreads at a race rather than at a training camp? No one is going to get infected while on their bike, it will happen in the hotel rooms and team buses.

 

[yaco]

Why would it matter that it spreads at a race rather than at a training camp? No one is going to get infected while on their bike, it will happen in the hotel rooms and team buses.

Well if rider/s test positive during a race, then they will have to withdraw or possibly even a whole team which has happened a number of occasions in stage races - In other words being vaccinated means 'diddly squat' if you don't have a strong testing program before and during a stage race.

 

[tobydawq]

Well if rider/s test positive during a race, then they will have to withdraw or possibly even a whole team which has happened a number of occasions in stage races - In other words being vaccinated means 'diddly squat' if you don't have a strong testing program before and during a stage race.

But as we both asked previously, why do they need to test riders for COVID in the races when no-one gets really sick because of it?

Also, the very high case numbers currently probably mean that February will be quite shambolic but after that it should settle down quite quickly.

 

[Netserk]

Well if rider/s test positive during a race, then they will have to withdraw or possibly even a whole team which has happened a number of occasions in stage races - In other words being vaccinated means 'diddly squat' if you don't have a strong testing program before and during a stage race.

So according to you, it follows from the premise that there is a strong testing program during stage races that it requires a strong testing program during stage races. Step out of the circle and notice that if riders are only tested during a race if they show symptoms (or if they are a close contact to someone infected), then it doesn't matter that there isn't a strong testing program.

 

[yaco]

But as we both asked previously, why do they need to test riders for COVID in the races when no-one gets really sick because of it?

Also, the very high case numbers currently probably mean that February will be quite shambolic but after that it should settle down quite quickly.

For the simple reason that the UCI, teams and the local authorities will have protocols in place in case of positive cases and close contacts to run a stage race - It's not about how sick you are.

 

[tobydawq]

For the simple reason that the UCI, teams and the local authorities will have protocols in place in case of positive cases and close contacts to run a stage race - It's not about how sick you are.

But do you think that will keep being the case for ever and ever now that people don't get very sick from the disease?

 

[RedheadDane]

At least the new rules will mean that teams, especially the smaller ones, won't have to use a lot of money to get their riders tested before every race (if they're vaccinated). And then if some kind of outbreak happens during or after a race, the UCI can always change their rules again, but they obviously can't do anything in regard to local policies.

Did they ever? Surely the pre-race testing - and mid-race testing for GTs - is organised, and paid for, by race organisers and UCI. Otherwise, the whole system could fall apart.