Coronavirus: will the Milan-San Remo cycling race take place?

Threats to Italian cycling. As the coronavirus wave spreads across the country, the consequences of the epidemic may extend to the next cycle races. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the idea of ​​canceling the next prestigious races such as Milan-San Remo, Tirreno-Adriatico and even the Tour of Italy is starting to grow. Mauro Vegni, the boss of RCS Sport, the organization that manages these competitions, no longer hides his fear.

"We are very worried about the spread of the epidemic because the situation in Italy is really difficult," he told Corriere della Serra. Our first concerns are Tirreno-Adriatico (March 11 to 17) and especially Milan-San Remo (March 21), which are scheduled in less than a month. There is no Plan B for the latter. If the government confirms the blocking of sport in Milan and Lombardy, it should be canceled. It would not make sense to move the start 20 or 50 kilometers. I hope the peak of contamination will drop. "

Italy counted this Monday at midday 219 contaminated people including 167 in the only region of Lombardy from where the Milan-San Remo race called the Primavera starts which kicks off the cycling season of classics.

"Risks" for the Giro

Regarding the next Giro (May 9 to 31), it's still unclear but Mauro Vegni does not rule out the risk of a cancellation. "For the moment, I cannot say anything about the Tour of Italy," he specifies, "but it is clear that if the peak does not diminish, the risks for it not being able to take place are well present. "

For now, the international federation, the UCI, has only canceled races in China. After the postponement of the Tour de Hainant, three women's events are also postponed: the Tour of Chongming Island (May 7 to 9), the Tour of Zhoushan Island (May 12 to 14) and the Women's Tour of Taiyuan (May 31st).

In football, the kickoff of the South Korean Championship, the second country most affected by the epidemic after China, was postponed on Monday.