Coronavirus and cycling: A continuously updated timeline of events
How is coronavirus affecting cycling? The news is moving fast. It feels like we’re posting a story every few hours on the subject, as national authorities, the UCI, teams, and race organizers respond. So we thought it’d be handy to put it all in one place.
The following timeline is in reverse chronological order – most recent first – and we’ll keep it updated as things change. Days and times are correlated to European time.
Wednesday, March 4: RCS announces the cancelation of the Strade Bianche sportif on March 8. Regarding the pro races, it says it will, “communicate the updates and details in the coming days, following the meetings with the appropriate authorities, starting from the meeting with the Prefecture of Siena tomorrow morning.”
Wednesday, March 4: It appears Italian races Strade Bianche, Trefeo Alfredo Binda, Milan-San Remo, and Tirreno Adriatico will be canceled after Italian authorities release a decree announcing a slew of rules surrounding sporting events, effective until April 3rd.
“Sporting events and competitions of any order or discipline, carried out in any place, public and private, are suspended,” reads the decree. There are some exceptions made for stadium sports, where fans can be kept out.
Wednesday, March 4: Mitchelton-Scott pulls out of multiple races, including those not in Italy. The team will not race at all until March 22.
Wednesday, March 4: Quarantined Cofidis riders finally get bikes and trainers into their hotel rooms in Abu Dhabi.
Wednesday, March 4 Jumbo-Visma, and Israel Cycling Academy also pull out of Strade Bianche.
Wednesday, March 4: A report in La Gazzetta dello Sport quotes the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Health and Prevention in announcing a total of 12 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Four of those 12 are riders: Two are reportedly Russian, one is Italian, and one is Colombian. Cofidis will stay in quarantine until March 14.
Tuesday, March 3: EF Pro Cycling sends a letter to Strade Bianche organizer RCS requesting permission to pull out of the race.
Tuesday, March 3: Most of the UAE Tour’s riders, team staff, organizational staff, and media have now left the UAE.
Tuesday, March 3: The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is postponed to August. Sea Otter is on the fence.
Monday, March 2: Cleared UAE Tour teams continue to depart. Media and organizational staff at the Crowne Plaza are again cleared to leave. Riders still in quarantine at the W vent their frustration at the lack of information or a timetable for departure. Reports emerge of re-testing and potential positive tests.
Sunday, March 1: Both hotels are placed back on lockdown. The fourth floor of the W, where the Cofidis, Groupama-FDJ, and Gazprom-Rusvelo teams are staying – is quarantined. The UAE-Team Emirates squad, from whom the first two reported cases came, announces that it will remain in quarantine for two weeks. Later, teams are again told that personnel that have tested negative can leave, and some teams begin to leave.
Saturday, February 29: Authorities announce that the majority of tests have come back negative, with some tests still remaining. Riders and staff at the W are told that they will be allowed to leave upon receiving negative tests. Hours later, people at the Crowne Plaza are told they are cleared to go as well. Some members of teams, of the media, and of the organizational staff begin to depart. Late on Saturday evening, ambulances arrive at the W and begin taking some riders and staff for testing.
Friday, February 28: In the very early hours of Friday morning, organizers announce that the race has been halted due to two positive cases of coronavirus among “participants” in the race. It is later clarified that these individuals are Italian members of a team staff. Medical personnel conduct coronavirus tests on individuals staying at the team hotel, and then proceed to the Crowne Plaza hotel, where media and many of the organizational staff are staying, to conduct tests there. Those tested at the Crowne Plaza are asked to stay in their rooms; those tested at the W Abu Dhabi are cleared to leave their rooms at first, but eventually asked to confine themselves to their rooms. State authorities announce that 167 tests – out of hundreds more – have come back negative.
Thursday, February 27: Following stage 5, riders, staff, and media arrive in Abu Dhabi, where they will stay through the end of the event. Late in the evening, those participating in, organizing, or covering the race are asked to remain in their hotels. Medical personnel arrive at the W Abu Dhabi, where teams are staying.
Sunday, February 23: The 2020 UAE Tour starts in Dubai.
Monday, February 3: Chinese factories, including those making bikes as well as small but crucial items like reflectors, first began reporting extended post-Chinese New Year closures due to coronavirus-related worker absences.
Tuesday, January 28: Tour of Hainan canceled as coronavirus spreads in China.
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