Additional dates fill out provisional men’s pro road cycling calendar
Pro cycling races could resume in early August according to a leaked calendar.
Racing could resume by early August, with Strade Bianche breaking the long stoppage provoked by coronavirus.
That’s according to a report from Belgian television RTBF, which provided further hints of how the men’s racing calendar might shape up. Last week, the UCI confirmed dates for the Tour de France as August 29-September 20, and the cycling governing body is expected to confirm dates for additional races by next week.
The report suggests that Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo, and a shortened Critérium du Dauphiné will be scheduled for August, in part to give riders a chance to race before hitting the Tour. After the Tour and worlds, there is some overlapping between the Giro d’Italia and a series of one-day races, including most of the northern classics. The Giro is scheduled for October, with the Vuelta a España lining up in November.
Other sources confirmed that the world championship schedule is expected to be altered so that the opening day on September 20, the final stage of the Tour, will not feature the elite men’s individual time trial. That race will likely move to Wednesday, and the worlds will open with the mixed-team relay-race.
So far, organizers have been sticking to the idea of racing a full three weeks of their itineraries, with the Giro and Vuelta both rescheduling their planned foreign starts, ideally leaving both races within their respective borders.
Racing screeched to a halt in March, as lockdowns and quarantines have shut down much of global racing. There’s currently a racing suspension through the end of July.
2020 racing calendar according to RTBF
August 1 — Strade Bianche
August 8 — Milano-Sanremo
Mid-August — Critérium du Dauphiné (reduced to 4-5 stages)
August 22-23 — national championships
August 29-September 20 — Tour de France
September 20-27 — world championships (Switzerland)
September 30 — Flèche Wallonne
October 4 — Liège-Bastogne-Liège
October 3-25 — Giro d’Italia
October 10 — Amstel Gold Race
October 11 — Gent-Wevelgem
October 18 — Tour of Flanders
October 25 — Paris-Roubaix
October 31 — Giro di Lombardia
November 1 — start of Vuelta a España