Grand Tour uncertainty, Zwift efforts for charity: Daily News Digest
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Hello again, CyclingTips readers.
Hopefully, some day soon, we will have more than just media reports about the plans for the 2020 Grand Tours—but as we have not yet reached that point, rumors abound for now.
Over the last 24 hours, Marca has reported that the 2020 Tour de France will take place from the beginning to the end of August, while the Dauphiné Libéré has reported that the 2020 Tour will run from August 29 to September 20.
We’ll obviously continue to monitor the situation, although we’re not sure there will be any concrete information on that front any time soon. Until then, at least there’s virtual racing.
Until next time, readers.
| Organizers mull Grand Tour dates
Conflicting reports have emerged out of different media outlets over the last 24 hours regarding the rescheduling dates for this year’s Grand Tours.
Marca reported on Monday night that the ASO and the RCS have agreed on alternative dates for the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta España, with the Tour set to be moved to August 2 to 25, the Vuelta taking place in September, and the Giro moving to October. According to the report, all three will run for three weeks as initiallly planned.
The Dauphiné Libéré, however, reported on Tuesday that the ASO is planning to run the Tour from August 29 to September 20, a very different scenario that leaves the situation of the Vuelta as a question mark. In any case, for now, it remains unclear what will happen for any of the three Grand Tours.
| Olympian Ken Farnum dies of coronavirus
Road and track cyclist Ken Farnum, who competed in the 1952 Olympics, died on April 4 at age 89 due to complications from coronavirus, Cyclingnews reports.
Born in Barbados, Farnum later moved to New York and won three state cycling championships there.
| Smit setting out on 1,000-kilometer Zwift journey
Willie Smit is setting out on a 1,000-kilometer ride on Zwift on Wednesday in a fundraiser for the South African Cycling Federation.
The Burgos-BH rider will take on 8,000 meters of climbing along the way and plans to livestream “as much as possible” of his effort.
| Wellens will ride on with Lotto-Soudal through 2021
Tim Wellens will ride on in Lotto-Soudal kit through next season, Het Laatste Nieuws reports.
An extension the versatile Belgian signed in 2018 included a clause extending his stint with the team through 2021 upon the renewal of team sponsor contracts. Wellens has ridden with the squad since turning pro with the team back in 2012.
| Francis Cade finishes double Everest on Zwift to raise money for NHS
Cycling YouTuber Francis Cade finished a double Everest effort on Zwift on Sunday as part of a fundraiser for the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS). Cade’s effort – ascending the Alpe du Zwift 17 times to reach 17,696m of climbing over 435 kilometers – took him 27 hours, 28 minutes.
Cade and virtual partner Alex Hill, who had to pull out midway through the effort due to a knee injury, raised over £16,000 along the way.
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SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY NEWS DIGEST PODCASTToday’s featured image of a rainy finale at the Tour of Turkey – whose 2020 edition was initially scheduled for this week – comes from Cor Vos.
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