Paris -Roubaix 2020 canceled

[Lexman]

Courrier Picard mentions that the race will be canceled, official decision would be taken today.

 

[Lexman]

confirmed :

Cyclisme : le Paris-Roubaix annulé en raison de la Covid-19

Les doutes planaient depuis les "interrogations" émises par le préfet des Hauts-de-France Michel Lalande fin septembre. La 118e édition du Paris-Roubaix vient officiellement d'être annulée. En cause, le rebond de l'épidémie...

france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr

 

[RedheadDane]

***!

 

[Lexman]

declaration

 

[Jagartrott]

I'm guessing all sports competitions in France, including football, will then also be cancelled. If not, it would be fairly hypocritical.

 

[Krokro]

What a freaking stupid year this is. I've just received the news in my phone.

 

[gerundium]

well that's a huge letdown. Hype for an autumn, rainy roubaix was already building.

 

[RedheadDane]

And all of a sudden Super Sunday became significantly less 'super'...
I honestly thought that Paris-Roubaix - next after the Tour - would be the race the French authorities would do almost everything to ensure it was run.

 

[Jagartrott]

Football has covid-positives almost every day, yet they just keep on playing, including stupid friendly games. Not a single problem there, apparently.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

worst nightmare.. god ffsdfdsgdsgdsgs d

 

[roundabout]

I'm guessing all sports competitions in France, including football, will then also be cancelled. If not, it would be fairly hypocritical.

I understood that the cancellation is because of regional restrictions so I am not sure why sports competitions in less affected areas being allowed to continue would be hypocritical.

 

[RedheadDane]

I understood that the cancellation is because of regional restrictions so I am not sure why sports competitions in less affected areas being allowed to continue would be hypocritical.

Guess we'll have to wait and see about competitions in that particular region, then.

 

[Eclipse]

Football has covid-positives almost every day, yet they just keep on playing, including stupid friendly games. Not a single problem there, apparently.

It's because football can be played in tightly controlled environment. You can't add the same security or constraints when the "pitch" is 250km long.

Heartbreaking news

 

[Wvv]

Sad news. But not a big surprise.
Please don't let us go through this again, 2021...

 

[Jagartrott]

I understood that the cancellation is because of regional restrictions so I am not sure why sports competitions in less affected areas being allowed to continue would be hypocritical.

Dude, PSG, Marseille and Lille are three major football clubs in the Ligue 1, all from hot-spot areas. If there are 'regional restrictions' covering all sports, they'd not be allowed to play and then the whole competition would have to stop. Which does not happen because football = money.

It's because football can be played in tightly controlled environment. You can't add the same security or constraints when the "pitch" is 250km long.

Yeah... that's why there are new covid-cases almost every day in almost any European football competition...

 

[KZD]

This is pathetic

 

[tobydawq]

Worst imaginable start to the fall holiday I literally got five minutes ago.

 

[Eclipse]

Yeah... that's why there are new covid-cases almost every day in almost any European football competition...

Yes but it's within the playerbase, not within the fanbase. Nobody has a problem with professional cyclists in a controlled environment catching covid either ( beyond withdrawals if a portion of a team tests positive but you have non-fixtures like Juve and Napoli in football too). It's clearly a decision based on the public not on the professionals.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Worst imaginable start to the fall holiday I literally got five minutes ago.

i have the whole week off and was looking forward to RVV + giro final week + PR. But once again disappointment.

God this pandemic stuff is pathetic.

 

[Anderis]

Damn, due to the changes in calendar some riders like Bettiol were about to make a debut in Paris-Roubaix and I was looking forward to that.

 

[Jagartrott]

Yes but it's within the playerbase, not within the fanbase. Nobody has a problem with professional cyclists in a controlled environment catching covid either ( beyond withdrawals if a portion of a team tests positive but you have non-fixtures like Juve and Napoli in football too). It's clearly a decision based on the public not on the professionals.

Have you seen the supporters of Marseille partying in bars and streets in recent weeks? I'm quite certain that the risk of infection for the few cycling-enthusiasts along the course (if people are told not to come watch the race, like is done for several current races) is insignificant compared to that. Hence, it is pretty hypocritical to allow football matches to go ahead while cancelling one-day cycling races.

 

[RedheadDane]

Yes but it's within the playerbase, not within the fanbase. Nobody has a problem with professional cyclists in a controlled environment catching covid either ( beyond withdrawals if a portion of a team tests positive but you have non-fixtures like Juve and Napoli in football too). It's clearly a decision based on the public not on the professionals.

Yeah... if only it was possible to be absolutely sure that people would just stay away. But I guess not; there will always be people who just can't understand that you don't actually have to stand by the road-side, pissed-drunk, to watch cycling.

 

[DFA123]

Have you seen the supporters of Marseille partying in bars and streets in recent weeks? I'm quite certain that the risk of infection for the few cycling-enthusiasts along the course (if people are told not to come watch the race, like is done for several current races) is insignificant compared to that. Hence, it is pretty hypocritical to allow football matches to go ahead while cancelling one-day cycling races.

I don't think there's much point comparing football with Paris-Roubaix. One is the national sport, which is a main form of entertainment for many of millions of people, both nationally and internationally. It also has a huge economic impact, with hundreds of millions of euros in taxes paid by clubs and players. All backed by massive TV and sponsorship deals.

The other is a relatively fringe race in the global scheme of things, which not many people care about. It generates very little revenue aside from an increase in visitors to the immediate area (which would be negated without fans).

It's inevitable that the two things will be treated very differently.

 

[RedheadDane]

The other is a relatively fringe race in the global scheme of things, which not many people care about. It generates very little revenue aside from an increase in visitors to the immediate area (which would be negated without fans).

Huh? I'd have thought that next after the Tour, P-R would be the biggest yearly bike race in France, and the biggest in that area.

 

[DFA123]

Huh? I'd have thought that next after the Tour, P-R would be the biggest yearly bike race in France, and the biggest in that area.

Well yes, but it's still just a bike race, which is a pretty fringe event compared with the football season. Add in the complications of hosting it on open roads rather than closed stadiums, and it's obviously going to be treated very differently.