The World Road Cycling Championships, scheduled for September 20 to 27 at the Swiss site of Aigle-Martigny, will be moved due to restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers announced on Wednesday.
According to decisions of the Swiss federal authorities released Wednesday, large demonstrations "involving more than 1000 people" are prohibited until September 30. "As a result, the organization of the World Championships is impossible," said the organizers in a statement.
The 2020 UCI Road World Championships won't be in @ aiglemartigny20. Thank you to all those who were involved, in what would have been a spectacular event.
We will now focus on securing a new venue, in Europe at the same time with a similar course profile. https://t.co/I6Yi47I9uJ pic.twitter.com/NSfWzshGu1
But the UCI specifies that it is busy looking for a new place to organize the Worlds, whose men's road race is to take place a week after the end of the Tour de France. "The priority is for it to be in Europe and on the dates already selected", assures the UCI. "We are now looking for a host city capable of offering a course as difficult as that of Aigle-Martigny and which would therefore suit the same riders who had planned to participate in Switzerland".
As a reminder, the Swiss circuit was indeed intended for pure climbers. The French team, with Pinot, Bardet and Alaphilippe, has great cards to play.
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