Cycling: Giro d’Italia at risk as UCI monitors coronavirus outbreak

BERLIN (Reuters) – Cycling’s governing body the UCI said it could not predict whether this year’s Giro d’Italia will go ahead as the country deals with an escalating coronavirus outbreak.

The Giro begins in Budapest on May 9 and ends in Milan on May 31 with several stages in northern Italy.

Italy is the European country hardest hit by the spread of the virus with one more death and 52 new cases reported on Wednesday, all in the north. The death toll in Italy is 12.

The Milan-San Remo classic on March 21 is already at risk of being canceled, according to organizers RCS, and with the Giro less than three months away organizers will soon face a dilemma.

A UCI statement on Wednesday said it remains “in close contact with organizers of international cycling competitions and the health authorities of host countries” in order to contribute as far as it can to the limitation of risks of the virus spreading throughout the world.

“The current state of the epidemic naturally has consequences on the organization of sporting and cultural events in different regions of the world, such as that of events on the UCI International Calendar, for example in Italy,” the UCI said.

“It is not currently possible to predict in the medium term whether competitions in this country will be maintained or canceled, given the rapidity with which new outbreaks are declared, like yesterday in Tuscany, Sicily and Liguria.

“In the short term on the other hand, decisions to cancel or postpone events have already been taken (last weekend) by regional health authorities, in order to minimize the risks of transmitting the virus which are made greater by travel and human gatherings in confined spaces.”

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