July 14
– The 2020 Fox US Open of Mountain Biking has officialy been cancelled.
July 7
– A few months ago, Bentonville Bike Fest 2020 was postponed, it has now been canceled with planning now turning to 2021.
July 1
– Back in March, the Sea Otter Classic was one of the first major cycling events to be postponed. The event was pushed from its traditional April to October 1-4. Instead of the usual Sea Otter coverage in April, we pivoted to host a virtual Pond Beaver show on Pinkbike.
Now, the organizers have made the decision to cancel the 2020 event entirely, saying that in discussions with Monterey County health officials, “it has become clear that we cannot host an event that will meet our health and safety standards.”
Instead, organizers will host a virtual Sea Otter Play event in September. Sea Otter is a unique event where racing meets tradeshow, so there will be both ride challenges starting at the beginning of September before the tradeshow component will be September 17-20.
– USA Cycling has announced that the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships won’t be held in 2020, saying that they do not feel confident that they “can ensure the safety of our participants, volunteers, staff, and host communities.”
June 22
The Trans Cascadia was scheduled for September 23-28, 2020.
Update: Trans Cascadia Allows Racers to Defer Entry Following Cancellation Feedback
June 19
June 12
– While organizers initially hoped to run the event in September, they have now cancelled the 2020 event entirely.
June 5
– The Megavalanche 2020 has been cancelled. The full press release from the organizers is below:
“Dear riders,
“We had hoped to be able to maintain the 25th anniversary of the Megavalanche de l’Alpe d’Huez this summer, but to date the prospects for international travel, large-scale gatherings and the sanitary measures imposed do not allow us to envisage holding this major event in good conditions.
“The organizing committee, in agreement with Alpe d’Huez, has therefore decided, reluctantly, to cancel the Megavalanche 2020.
“But as they say, the king is dead, long live the king! We are happy to announce you that we’ll organize from July 31st to August 2nd, the “Super Maxiavalanche of Alpe d’Huez”, to offer you your dose of alpine sensation in the Marathon Downhill of the year!
“On the programme, two qualifying runs (Friday and Saturday afternoon) and two race runs on Sunday, by level groups ! All the details of this new event, as well as the registrations link will be sent to you as soon as possible! However, registration will be limited to 800 participants, in order to reduce the risks and the queue at the lifts. So stay tuned and register asap if you want to get your spot.
“All registrations for the Megavalanche 2020 will be refunded (less the 6€ cancellation insurance, which we grant to all registered participants).
“We hope to be able to count you among us on August 2nd for this Super Maxiavalanche, and all the more so to celebrate the 25th +1 anniversary of the Mega in 2021 (dates to be confirmed)!
“Until then, stay safe, keep riding and have fun on the trails!”
– The NAHBS 2020 has been cancelled. The full press release from the organizers is below:
“As you’re well aware, we originally rescheduled NAHBS 2020 from March 15-17 to August 21-23, a change we felt optimistic about. During the past months, we’ve been watching intently how the COVID-19 pandemic is playing out. And we’ve continued to be in close contact with a sampling of exhibitors, sponsors, trade show consultants, show staff, and our contacts at the Convention Center in Dallas.
“While Texas is currently in Phase 3 of its “reopening” plan, COVID-19 cases in Dallas are still on the rise. And unfortunately, the Governor hasn’t made any plan to allow large groups and events to take place. With NAHBS scheduled to take place in less than three months – and based on what we currently know and predictions for the summer — we’re making the difficult decision to cancel NAHBS 2020 and focus our efforts on 2021.
“Based on the many exhibitors and partners we’ve spoken to, no one wants to be in a large crowd, primarily indoors, this summer. We’re certain that even if we held the show this August, attendance would be extremely low — which none of us want. Throw in the current difficulties of international travel and limited domestic travel, and the challenges of putting on a successful show this summer are insurmountable.
“After much consideration and in talking closely with many exhibitors and partners about potential venues and dates for next year’s show, we took note. NAHBS 2021 will be held in the third quarter – we’re shooting for some time in September — and we’re considering other cities for the show. Dallas, TX is still in the running, but we are also considering Chicago, IL; Hartford, CT; and Indianapolis, IN.
“If you’ve already purchased a ticket for NAHBS 2020, please fill out the Contact form on the website and we’ll issue you a refund
“Thank you for your support of NAHBS. We’ll be posting news and updates on 2021 soon.”
June 3
– The Ard Rock race in the UK has been cancelled. The full press release from the organizers is below:
“We have waited out for as long as we considered fair, in hope that we would be able to host the 2020 edition of Ard Rock in just a couple of months from now. The global, national and local situation means that our plans for this year’s event have been all but extinguished. It should go without saying that the safety of our competitors, visitors and equally that of the local residents in the surrounding area of Ard Rock Festival are the number one priority. We are at the mercy of this situation and thank you all for your understanding and ongoing support.
“Ard Rock 2021 will take place from 6-8th August, and we promise to deliver the best MTB riding and festival to have ever graced British soil. All Ard Rock 2020 entrants have been sent an email with refund and transfer options.
“Please remember, the charities we support are still subject to their normal operating costs this year. In order for us to best support them in these challenging times, we have decided to sell all of the Ard Rock 2019 merchandise and donate the money to Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team. You can purchase and donate at the Ard Rock store here https://ardrock.co.uk/store/
“And a little fun….If the situation improves and we gain approval within our window of opportunity, then we would love to celebrate with the mountain bike community by hosting an *event to bring us back together. It won’t have all of the things that we love about Ard Rock, but we’ll make sure to have a hell of a ride, camping facilities and some local beers to celebrate.”
*If you have a 2020 booking for Ard Rock, this will not be used for this smaller community event.
June 3
– Outerbike has made the decision to cancel its next three Outerbike events: Killington, Crested Butte and Duluth.
– Despite forming part of the revised World Cup season published a fortnight ago, Val di Sole has now cancelled both the World Cup XC and DH rounds that were due to take place in September. The 4X World Championships that were due to be held on the same weekend have also been cancelled. Read more here.
May 26
– In lieu of the in-person Taipei Cycle Show, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) has decided to launch the exhibition in VR and 2D formats, starting today: https://vancouver.taiwantrade.com/news/detail?id=29591 As TAITRA’s representative office in Western Canada, Taiwan Trade Center, Vancouver is also offering digital sourcing services for biking companies, allowing businesspeople to video-conference with Taiwanese suppliers from the comforts of their own office or home.
May 25
– Cycling Canada cancels all events originally scheduled on or before July 31st.
May 14
– All Leadville-based mountain bike and run events will be cancelled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 10
– South Wales police will be conducting patrols of Bike Park Wales after riders have been damaging the trails during lockdown. Bike Park Wales said that riders were gathering in groups and removing barriers to ride unopened trails while staff were away from the park.
Bike Park Wales said: “Unfortunately some people just cannot play by the rules… We have seen a large number of riders continue to ride at the bike park during this period of closure. Some genius even removed around 30 barriers as they felt it was OK for them to ride our new green trail?…
“We have tried the light touch and it hasn’t worked so South Wales Police Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf have stepped in to help and will be conducting regular patrols of the hill to assist our own security in protecting our trails. Together we will be preventing trespass on the trails by both mountain bikes and motor bikes.
“It’s sad it has come to this but we must prevent damage to the trails, blatant disregard for common decency and the risk of an accident on site, not to mention the disregard for social distancing that some groups of riders have shown.
“Sorry to have to make such a negative post but if you can, please help us spread the word that trespassing riders will not receive a warm welcome.”
May 8
– The Christchurch Adventure Park (CAP) is preparing for the third opening in its four and a half year history, when the country moves into the next phase of its COVID-19 response. The Park has been closed since the country entered Alert Level 3 on 23 March.
Once the Park reopens in Alert Level 2, the opening hours over Winter will be 11am – 7pm Wednesdays and Fridays, 11am – 5pm Thursdays and 10am – 4pm at weekends. The Park will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. All necessary safety measures will be taken to ensure that customers can feel safe to make the most of the Park, such as physical distancing in the café, on trails and while using the chairlift, and thorough cleaning of all facilities and equipment including a cleaning down of the chairlift bar after every rotation.
– The 25th Annual Downieville Classic has been cancelled.
Read the full statement from the Downieville organizers here.
– The Outerbike Deer Valley event, which was scheduled for the weekend of June 19-21 has been cancelled since state health department rules regarding group gatherings remain uncertain through June. Outerbike will be offering the attendees who were registered for Deer Valley a credit for a future Outerbike and the opportunity to bring a friend for free to any Outerbike through 2021.
While there’s still the possibility they will be cancelled, there are currently six other Outebike events on the calendar this year: Killington, VT (July 24 – 26), Crested Butte, CO (August 14 – 16), Duluth, MN (August 28 – 30), South Lake Tahoe, CA (Sept 18 – 20), Moab, UT (Oct 2 – 4), and Bentonville, AR (Oct 23 – 25).
You can read more info on Outerbike’s COVID page here.
May 6
– Specialized lays off 46 employees, 7% of its workforce, mostly from its global support staff. Mike Sinyard said in an interview with Bicycle Retailer that, “The future is quite uncertain and we’re doing everything we can to retain out top talent. But we are very optimistic about the future of the company and cycling.”
Sinyard also said he is forfeiting 100 percent of his base salary and senior management is taking a 30% reduction in their salaries. “Specialized is now 46 years old and we’ve grown a lot. Regrettably, some of the people we had, who’ve done a fine job for us, we don’t need; we have to make room for new people. I know that sounds harsh, but that’s the way it is,” he added. Read more here.
May 5
– Dakine is closing its office in Hood River, laying off 39 staff and relocating to Southern California due to “the financial and operational impacts that the COVID pandemic have had on the business”. Dakine said: “We will be transitioning operations and a number of employees to our global headquarters in Southern California. This transition will be phased and as appropriate, we will communicate timing, points of contact, and next steps. We do not anticipate any further disruption to the business or its operations throughout the transition.” More info, here.
– The Mont Sainte Anne World Cup XC and Dh World Cups have been cancelled, leaving just 2 races currently in the calendar for both disciplines. The full story can be found here.
May 4
– As Germany extends a ban on major events until the end of August, Eurobike has pushed back its dates to November and announced a slimmed-down program. The event was initially scheduled to run from 2 to 5 September in its normal format but will now be on 24 to 26 November 2020 as a “pure B2B concept” that will run for three days and drops the public day. Also missing will be the parties and the test and demo area as the show focusses more on maintaining retail contacts and helping drive new impetus.
Stefan Reisinger, Head of Eurobike explains: “Suppliers, brands and retailers are all starting the 2020 bike season facing very difficult conditions and will hopefully benefit from recovery effects over time. One thing is certain, all industry players will have to adapt to the postponed development of the season compared to previous years. The later Eurobike date gives the whole bike industry an opportunity to make plans at the end of the 2020 season for the coming sales and production season. As such, it also offers a unique chance to meet up, to exchange ideas, and to work and network this year.”
Exhibitors will be offered cheaper booth prices due to the truncated program. More info, here.
April 30
– The UCI has announced that the XC World Championships which were due to take place between June 25-28 in Albstadt, Germany has been cancelled.
After initially postponing the XC World Championships on March 28 the UCI has announced today that the event will no longer be taking place in Albstadt this year.
April 28
– Cane Creek has resumed operations after nearly a month at its North Carolina facility. Cane Creek initially shut down due to COVID restrictions and planned on re-opening on April 10 however it took until now for the state to deem it as an essential business. Cane Creek will be opening for limited operations and following NC and CDC prevention guidelines. The brand is asking customers to expect longer than usual fulfillment times on all orders.
– London Bike Show has cancelled its 2020 date and will now take place in March 2021. The show was scheduled for the end of March and was initially rescheduled for July, however, this has now also been cancelled. The proposed venue, the Excel Centre, has been turned into NHS Nightingale, an emergency hospital with capacity for 5,000 patients. The organisers said, “By delaying until then, we feel that this will give businesses involved in the show (both exhibitors and our contractors) a much better chance to make a full recovery from this difficult period.” Any purchased tickets will automatically be transferred.
April 27
– In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Cycling Canada is extending the list of cancelled or postponed events to include everything originally scheduled on or before July 6. Despite originally being scheduled for July 11-12, 2020, the Canadian XCO Mountain Bike Championships will also be postponed.
Cycling Canada’s next recommendation concerning events scheduled beyond July 6th will be published on May 25th. For an up-to-date list of cancelled or postponed events on the national calendar, please consult the event list on the Cycling Canada website.
– Epic Rides announced the cancelation of this year’s Grand Junction Off-Road + Downtown Music Festival. The event was planned for the weekend of May 14-16, 2020.
April 23
– Peaty’s Steel City Downhill has been cancelled. It is set to return in 2021. Peaty posted on Instagram: “So sorry to announce that we have had to cancel the Steel City DH for this year!! 2021 will be epic though. #cheers for the support everyone.”
April 22
– The Red Bull District Ride, which was set to return to Nuremberg on September 4 & 5, has been cancelled. The event was expected to attract 40,000 spectators a day so was called off in accordance with the Federal Government’s decision to prohibit major events until 31 August 2020. Red Bull are exploring options to hold the event again in 2021.
April 14
– The UCI has announced the cancellation of the XC and DH World Cups in Vallnord however the venue is set to make a comeback in 2021. This is the first cancelled World Cup for the XC racers with Nove Mesto still seeking an alternate date, however the Albsatdt World Championships have also already been cancelled and racers will have to wait another year for the Olympics, which have been postponed until 2021. Next on the horizon for the XC racers is Lenzerheide, which could still be the season opener on August 15-16.
On the downhill side of things, we now have 3 cancelled races with Lousa and Maribor still looking to reschedule, this leaves a maximum of five rounds for the racers in 2020, assuming they all go ahead. There was supposed to be more than 2 months between Vallnord and the proposed sixth round in Mont Sainte Anne so we’re keeping everything crossed that will give enough time for the race to still go ahead.
Revised 2020 World Cup Calendars
Downhill
21/22 March: Lousa – Postponed, date tbc
02/03 May: Maribor – Postponed, date tbc
09/10 May: Losinj – Cancelled
06/07 June: Fort William – Cancelled
20/21 June: Vallnord – Cancelled
22/23 August: Mont-Sainte-Anne
12/13 September: Val di Sole
19/20 Septmeber: Les Gets
Cross Country
23/24 May: Nove Mesto – Postponed, date tbc
20/21 June: Vallnord – Cancelled
15/16 August: Lenzerheide
22/23 August: Mont-Sainte-Anne
12/13 September: Val di Sole
19/20 September: Les Gets
– A Cycleplan survey has revealed that 78% of British cyclists would be worried about their mental health if the Goveernment stopped them from cycling during the Coronavirus lockdown. Of the 547 riders surveyed, 66% said that cycling boosts their mood, 47% said it helps them manage anxiety and 51% of respondents stated that it helps them to reduce stress. Despite the lockdown, 86% of cyclists are still riding their bikes with 80% stating they had reduced their reliance on their car for short journeys.
– Garmin has released figures that indicate its user have increased their indoor cycling by 63% over the same period from last year. This is normally the time of year when indoor cycling drops off however it has increased dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 9
– The UCI has announced it is furloughing 130 staff and its leaders are taking pay cuts to confront the financial consequences of the world health crisis. The UCI is reporting that 650 events, or 30% of the international calendar, have been cancelled, with road and mountain biking events being the most affected.
These cancellations are weighing heavily on the federation’s finances and the press release notes that, “the rounds of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup are notably important in terms of revenue for our organisation.” To combat the financial difficulties, the UCI is introducing a number of cost-saving measures that will allow it to, “get through this crisis with limited damage, as long as the situation does not last longer than current predictions”.
As well as furloughing staff and pay cuts, other measures taken by the UCI include:
– Freezing of recruitment for an undefined period.
– Total revision of projects and objectives that had been fixed for 2020 and following years, and those in progress.
– Resizing of solidarity projects for National Federations.
– Generalisation of virtual meetings for the Management Committee, UCI Commissions and seminars.
– Examination (in progress) of contracts of service providers at events, consultants and general providers.
Read more here.
– Sea Otter Canada has cancelled its inaugural event and has replaced it with a miniature Sea Otter Festival on September 18 and 19 at Blue Mountain Resort. It will feature the Scarecrow Gravel ride, family-friendly Sea Otter Hub & Spoke, kids races, and a mini-expo area sponsored by Continental and Subaru that will be right in the village.
The main event is already booked in again for July 2-4, 2021. Sea Otter Canada co-organizer Simon Williams said, “We know people are disappointed about losing so many events in the 2020 racing and riding season. So we wanted to make sure that there was still something on the calendar that everyone could look forward to—and what’s better than a fall festival atmosphere and perfect fall foliage for a gravel event?”
April 8
– Parks Canada recently closed all their parks and now BC Parks announced today that they have closed all provincial parks in response to the call for increased action to address COVID-19.
Federal and provincial directives have asked people to stay close to home to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk, but since some continue to ignore the order, they say was a necessary measure.
Read more here.
– Eurobike has cancelled its Media Days event and floated a date at the end of March in case of a Coronavirus induced cancellation. The show is still scheduled to go ahead on 2-5 September but the contingency date has been put in place in case the situation in Europe does not improve by then. A decision will be made by mid May.
April 3
– Minnesota-based bicycle distributor Quality Bicycle Parts (QBP) has laid off 12% of its workforce, about 80 employees, Bicycle Retailer reported today.
“This was a painful decision. These were valued co-workers, and they are our friends and partners. We made this decision to ensure that QBP remains stable now and through what might come over the coming year,” said Rich Tauer, QBP’s president, in an email to dealers Friday morning.
“Our North American distribution centers are fully operational with the same service our retailers have always relied upon. I’ve been humbled to hear and see retailers and suppliers, saying that they depend on Q to get the products and services they need to the marketplace. It’s an honor and responsibility that everyone at Q truly takes to heart.”
Brain reported that distributor HLC has also made temporary worker hour reductions and “a few” furloughs.
April 1
– Crankworx Innsbruck, originally scheduled for June 10-14, has been postponed to September 30-October 4, 2020 in light of the unfolding coronavirus pandemic around the globe.
March 30
– CST Post NL Bafang Rider Mariske Strauss has confirmed she tested positive for COVID-19 following her third-place finish at the Andalucia Bike Race. Mariske entered self-isolation as soon as she returned from Spain and got tested shortly after. She had some mild flu-like symptoms and her test was confirmed soon after.
We wish Mariske all the best in her continued recovery from her infection.
– Bicycle Retailer is reporting that Cane Creek has suspended operations in compliance with Henderson County shelter in place mandates. The company will halt until 10 April however its Taiwan operations will continue as normal. Online orders will be fulfilled once the facility reopens and customers should expect a longer than normal response time for emails.
– Sea Otter Europe will now take place at the end of September after organisers decided to postpone the event that was due to take place on the 29-31 May. The new date will see the event being held on the 25-27 of September just a few weeks before the Sea Otter Classic.
March 28
– The UCI has announced that the XC World Championships which was due to take place between the 25-28 June has been postponed.
Current list of all cancelled or postponed World Cup events:
March 27
– Hope has announced it will be temporarily shutting down its production facility to keep its staff and wider community safe during the COVID-19 epidemic.
March 26
– BC Bike Race won’t take place in July. The organizers have postponed it until September.
– Swatch Rocket Air will no longer take place in 2020 and will now be reorganized for 2021. Switzerland has a ban in place for gatherings of more than 100 people and the Flying Metal Crew are not confident this will be lifted by May 1/2, when the event is due to take place.
A statement reads: “The organizing Flying Metal Crew has decided to stop all preparations and postpone the event to 2021. The date is already set: April 30th to May 1st, 2021, should the event take place. “Even so, we will carry a deficit”, says OC president Jérôme Hunziker, “but one that we can likely manage with the help of our partners”.
The sponsors and partners were informed in advance and showed a lot of understanding. Not only do they want to help fill the financial gap, but many have already secured their commitment for 2021. Hunziker is optimistic: “We are very happy about the support, and this is motivation all the greater to hold the event next year and to infect the 10,000 spectators with the passion of bike virus.”
In the meantime, here is the final of 2019, 2 hours of finest slopestyle action, enjoy:
– Accell Group has scaled down its bicycle production by 70% due to the impacts of the Coronavirus. The first half of the year is the most important for Accell but it has now missed out on that due to sweeping lockdowns in Europe. The Group, that includes brands such as Lapierre, Ghost and Haibike, has announced its parts and accessories production will not be affected. The brand has also cancelled a €0.30 dividend proposal and drawn €50 million on its term loan, increasing it to €125 million. A statement read: “Given the exceptional circumstances, we are in close and constructive contact with our syndicate banks to keep them informed of the impact of the pandemic on our business and financial position. We also intend to make full use of the various government relief measures in all relevant countries.” More information can be found, here.
March 24
– The UCI announced more elite mtb racing changes as Fort William has been cancelled and Nove Mesto has been postponed. More, here.
– Japan and the IOC have confirmed a postponement of the 2020 Olympics. A new date is likely to be found before the end of July next year.
March 23
– In a phone interview with USA Today, the International Olympic Committee’s Dick Pound said that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will not be starting on July 24, 2020. They are going to be postponed, likely to 2021. The IOC says they will be working out the details in the next four weeks and announcing the next steps soon. More info here.
– Canada has withdrawn from the 2020 summer Olympics and is hoping for a new date in 2021. Australia and New Zealand have also indicated that they will follow suit. More info, here.
– 2 British ebike events, the UK Ebike Summit and the London e-Bike Festival, have both been postponed. The Ebike summit has a new date of September 8 but the e-Bike Festival is yet to announce a new date. More info can be found via Cycling Industry News, here.
March 21
– The iXS Downhill Cup have announced that the first round of the European DH Cup in Maribor has been postponed with a new date still to be decided. A statement reads:
“Based upon the current situation it is confirmed that the first iXS EDC will not take place in April. The local organizer of Maribor is trying to postpone the entire event and the following World Cup to a later date in 2020.”
“Unfortunately it‘s not easy, because many criteria have to be considered for a potential rescheduling and therefore we can not make any statements about a new date or a potential cancellation of the race. More information concerning the race calendar you can find at the website.”
Find out more about the state of the European DH Cup and the other iXS race series’ over on their website.
March 20
– The UCI announces elite racing cancellations up until mid-May. Read more, here.
– France has been the latest country to ban recreational cycling as part of its lockdown, following the example of Spain and Italy. The Ministry of Sport made the clarification today after a government decree yesterday said that exercise should be undertaken within 2km of the home and could only be for 30 minutes a day. The Ministry tweeted: “There is no question of getting away from your home. The rule is containment for everyone. Remember, you should only go out for emergencies like shopping or for your health. A little jogging is possible for your wellbeing, but not a 10km!” The French Cycling Federation later added: “The practice of sports cycling, which is commonly accepted, does not fall under the conditions provided for in the decree and therefore constitutes an offense. Any practice of cycling sport, even individual, must, therefore, be temporarily prohibited.”
March 19
– After originally being postponed until May 14-16, the Taipei Cycle Show has now been totally canceled for 2020. A statement reads:
– Hutchinson has announced it will be closing its factory in Chalette-sur-Loing and postponing the launches of new tires this morning to help slow the spread of the outbreak. Hutchinson said:
– The Riva Del Garda Bike Festival has been postponed until July 24-26
March 18
– Ibis is based in Santa Cruz County and had this to say about how the Shelter in Place order is affecting their business.
-The Whiskey Off-Road Race has been cancelled as the City of Prescott, AZ has mandated the cancelation of all events in Prescott through May 10th, 2020. The organisers are now looking for an alternative date in early fall and all riders will automatically have their entries forwarded to that date. More details can be found, here.
March 17
– New Shelter in Place order hits Santa Cruz County meaning bike industry in the area such as Ibis, Santa Cruz, Fox, Ritchey, WTB, Marin, White Industries, Phil Wood, and Paragon Machine Works are in the closure zone as well as dozens of bike shops. Fox Suspension & Specialized Bicycles had this to say:
– British Cycling has announced it is suspending all events until April 30 at the earliest. The Fort William World Cup is scheduled for June 6/7 so it isn’t yet affected but it could be if the outbreak continues to worsen in the UK. It has, however, led to cancellation of Round 1 of the British National Downhill Series, an alternate date is being sought.
British Cycling chief executive Julie Harrington said: “This was not a decision taken lightly and it is one we have taken in close cooperation with our colleagues at Scottish Cycling and Welsh Cycling. We fully understand and appreciate the financial, social and community impact that this suspension could have, and we are working now to ensure that cycling is in the best possible health once the suspension can be lifted. As I’m sure everyone can appreciate, these are truly unprecedented circumstances, and while we will be doing all we can to retain a sense of normality and continuity, it may take some time to return to full capacity as an organisation and as a sport once this situation has been resolved. We will continue to update our members with more information, and will be doing everything within our power to support those who have contributed to the rich cycling culture that this country boasts.” More information can be found here.
– Japan is still planning for a full Olympics to go ahead despite the Coronavirus outbreak. On Saturday, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, “We will overcome the spread of the infection and host the Olympics without problem, as planned”. This was echoed today by the Olympics Minister, Seiko Hashimoto, who said, “A complete Olympics is what we are aiming for. We will do our utmost to prepare [to hold the Olympics] as scheduled so that the International Olympic Committee will be convinced we are capable of hosting the game.”
The decision will ultimately be left to the IOC though, who are meeting today to discuss the future of the games.
– In response to the global CV-19 outbreak, TweedLove organisers Hillside Outside have announced a huge rescheduling of their 2020 events calendar. Many of the Peebles-based organisers’ biggest events, including this weekend’s MTB enduro race Vallelujah, which is also Round One of the British National Enduro Series, will now be held later this year. Other events affected include the TweedLove Bike Festival weekend, Bosch E-MTB Challenge, Glentress Seven endurance race, Gritopia off-road adventure, Skinny Tweed road sportive, TweedLove Family Day and more.
Riders who can’t attend on the new dates are being offered a 100% refund on all the events but as a TweedLove spokesperson says, “Obviously we’d rather people didn’t cancel – everyone knows bike events are a marginal business activity at the best of times but for now it’s going to be a grim fight for survival. The events industry is being hit very hard and it looks extremely unlikely that insurance will cover any loss of income from this.” More info here.
March 16
– Despite the many memes circulating that the best self-isolation is a good bike ride in the woods, reports are emerging of cyclists being stopped by the police in Italy and Spain and being threatened with fines or even jail time. Both countries are the worst affected in Europe and currently on a 2-week lockdown period with only journeys for food or medical supplies allowed. Reports from road cycling websites indicate fines can be anywhere from 600-1000 Euros, while Spanish newspaper, El Pais (English link), suggests a more conservative €100 fine could be issued but with up to a year in jail for ignored requests.
– The entirety of the Canadian Enduro Series has been cancelled with the exception of the Sea Otter Canada Enduro at Blue Mountain Ontario. The organizers have said that some of the events may be reinstated if the situation normalizes but for now all registered riders are being refunded for every event. More info can be found here.
– Scotland is starting to see local races affected after its government banned mass gatherings for four months. The opening round of the Scottish Downhill Association is cancelled and Tweedlove Vallelujah/British Enduro Series Round 1 has been postponed until August 15/16.
More info on the SDA can be found here and the Vallelujah here.
March 15
– The UCI has today announced a series of updated measures to combat the serious threat of COVID-19. The updated list of guidelines from the cycling governing body includes; event cancellation requests, suspension of classifications and the closure of Olympics qualification. Find out more here.
March 14
– USA Cycling has announced that it is recommending the cancellation of all sanctioned events citing “the latest data on COVID-19’s spread and the healthcare system’s ability to manage this crisis”. Currently, they are suspending all permits until 5 April although they are continuing to monitor the situation.
– It has been announced today that the iXS Dirt Masters festival has been moved to September after recent developments in the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the travel restrictions that have been put in place by some countries. The organisers will be providing exact details in the coming weeks but read the latest statements below:
March 13
– The Port Angeles National NW Cup is the next event to be postponed because of COVID-19 after it was announced that they are postponing the race that was due to take place in April.
– After the first round of the Downhill World Cup was postponed earlier this week the organisers for the Fort William round have released a statement saying that currently there are no plans to postpone or cancel the event on 6 – 7 June. Read the full statement below:
– The 2020 Cape Epic has been cancelled. Event organizers issued the following statement: “Out of concern for the health and safety of our riders and other stakeholders, following recent advice received from the Western Cape Government, we have no choice but to cancel the 2020 Absa Cape Epic due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
Mediclinic, the event’s medical partner since inception and which provides services to many Western Cape events, supports the decision. The decision also has the full support of most of our sponsors, including our headline sponsor, Absa.
The event was due to start on Sunday March 15 on Table Mountain and end on March 22 in Paarl after travelling to Ceres, Tulbagh and Wellington.
Race founder Kevin Vermaak said: ‘I have taken this step with a heavy heart, but the health and safety of everybody involved in the event has to be paramount. ‘At 6pm today we received the formal advice from government.’ Kevin appealed for patience from all stakeholders, who will be contacted directly regarding the way forward.”
March 12
– The London Bike Show is postponed until 3-5July. Organisers said: “We have been following UK government guidelines and working with the rolling advice from the public health authorities and other organisations, but it is now with reluctance that we have taken the decision to postpone the event at this time. The safety and wellbeing of our staff, exhibitors, visitors, partners and contractors is of the utmost importance to us, and therefore feel the protection and prevention of harm to the public has been paramount to this decision.”
– Garmin Titan Desert postponed until 2- 7 November.
March 11
– After the Colombian President, Ivan Duque, announced on Twitter that visitors from Italy, France and other affected countries would have to go into self-isolation upon arriving in the country, rounds 1 and 2 of the EWS were also postponed. Round 1 in Colombia will now take place on 7-8 November, while round 2 in Chile will now take place on 14-15 November. Round 3, due to take place at France’s Montagnes du Caroux on May 23, is still scheduled to go ahead.
March 10
– The first big casualty of the race season is the Lousa World Cup. After a letter was published by the Portuguese Ministry of Health, establishing that outdoor events with over 5,000 in attendance would have to be canceled by early April. A new date is yet to be set for the rescheduling of the event but it will apparently be decided in a series of meetings next week (w/c16 March).
– MMR Factory Race Team announced they were pulling out of the Cape Epic. Team manager, Angel Gomez, said: “It wasn’t an easy decision to take, but we are sure that we have made the correct one. Cycling is a super mobile sport where our riders and staff are exposed to the risk in a long travel like this, and teams are putting the riders and staff at risk of transmission and quarantine.” The Cape Epic is still scheduled to go ahead and begins on Sunday 15 March.
– Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race postponed, new date tbc.
March 9
– Bentonville Bike Fest postponed until August 7-9. Kenny Belaey, event organizer, said: “We appreciate the continued support from our partners, sponsors and the community. Although the dates have changed, we are still on track and moving forward with our scheduled plans. It also allows us to maintain our partnership with the Bentonville Film Festival.”
March 7
– Toquato Testa misses the Crankworx Rotorua slopestyle competition after being asked to self-isolate.
March 6
– Britain’s Bespoked Show is pushed back from May 3-5 to 15-18 October.
March 5
– There’s another big blow as the second big show of the spring gets postponed. Sea Otter cancelled its April date, on March 5 and than announced the new date of October 1-4 a few days later.
– The Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup #1 gets postponed. The inaugural Dubai event is still to set a new date.
March 4
– The UCI announces Coronavirus guidelines, saying it will “not proceed with the cancellation of any events at this stage”. It added, “Any possible decision to cancel will be taken by the health authorities in the concerned regions depending on the evolution of the local situation and different risk factors identified. The organisers and all members of the cycling family will be obliged to comply to any such decision.”
March 3
– The first North American event is affected as the NAHBS Show postponed until August.
– The Mountain Mayhem race was forced to cancel as, “it is no longer possible to get any cancellation insurance from any company.”
March 2
– The Andorra Race Cup was suspended due to Prime Ministerial decree. The Province of Savona had been designated a “Yellow Zone”, which led to the suspension of all sporting events and shows in the indicated areas until Sunday March 8th, 2020. The event is yet to be rescheduled.
February 11
– The first major casualty of the Coronavirus, the Taipei Cycle Show, is postponed until May.
February 3
– The Taipei Cycle Show announces it will not allow Chinese visitors or exhibitors into the show but it is hoping to go ahead with planned.
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