The disease mimics behaviors and ruins the classic and the most emblematic races of spring. Cycling is drowned by the virulence of the coronavirus. The Movistar de Valverde , the reference squad in Spain, adopts the same prophylaxis as the Ineos de Froome , the Jumbo de Roglic or the Mitchelton de Yates , who have decided to temporarily withdraw their runners from competitions to avoid contagion.

The training led by Eusebio Unzué has announced that his male and female teams will not return to the activity until March 22, so they will be absent from Paris-Nice (from 8 to 15), the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic (11-17) , Ronde van Drenthe (15), Nokere Koerse (18), Milan-San Remo (21) and Omloop van de Westhoek (22). The Alfredo Binda Trophy and the Strade Bianche have been postponed.

In the telephone group they ensure that the decision has been taken "taking into account the advice of the medical team" of the entity and in response to the "current situation." "In order to preserve the health of all its members, as well as of all those in contact with cycling, Movistar Team adopts a measure that seeks to contribute, within its means, to normalize the situation," the team leaders said yesterday. In this way it is expected that the Movistar, the same as the Ineos will, resume its activity in the Volta a Catalunya , which will begin on the next day 23.

"Weigh all risks"

This break is a disorder for the development of the season. Planning is altered for health reasons and solutions to problems are improvised. The runners will remain active but outside the competition. Now, each one will train in their family environment, as if it were a preseason. "Cyclists will not be unemployed, they will work at home with previously established guidelines ," they affirm from a Spanish group that it is not yet clear whether a similar concentration will be held to the one organized at the beginning of each course.

"Withdrawing the team hurts and is disappointing, but we have a responsibility to carefully weigh all the risks and right now they are very high," said Richard Plugge, general manager of the Jumbo.

The coronavirus undermines the platoon and despairs the organizers of the races. After the suspension of the last stages of the UAE Tour, all tests are postponed in Italy. Tomorrow will start a damaged Paris-Nice , without the most important groups of the Wortd Tour: Ineos, Mitchelton Scott, Astana, UAE Emirates, CCC Team and Movistar. To complete a half-worthy squad, the organizers of the French round have invited several second-row teams. In France, races are not suspended but preventive measures are taken: cyclists must give up signing autographs , taking selfies, giving their cans or bumping their hands. And it is that the hemorrhage of the coronavirus does not stop.

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