The women's peloton has nearly completed a revised calendar for the second half of the season to replace the original calendar that was closed this spring due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, but despite the various health protocols that were implemented to keep athletes safe, many of the top level women's races found it difficult to maintain guidelines and protocols.
According to a recent survey conducted by The Cyclists' Alliance (opens in new tab), athletes identified four main concerns Protocols are not being adequately followed in some races, it is difficult to maintain cohorts during travel and lodging during races, some teams do not have direct access to a team doctor, and some athletes must organize and pay for their own COVID-19 testing to qualify to compete.
A survey was conducted in late September to gather information on the needs and concerns of athletes competing in women's road, track, mountain bike, and cyclocross races, with the majority of responses coming from female road athletes.
The UCI released a revised 2020 Women's World Tour calendar in May after COVID-19 interrupted the season and forced many organizers to postpone or cancel events. The top-tier series will maintain 12 of the 22 events that began on August 1 and will conclude with the Madrid Challenge on November 6-8.
Prior to the official restart of the racing season in July, the UCI implemented a series of COVID-19 coronavirus health and safety protocols, creating a protective peloton and team "bubble," screening athletes six and three days before events and PCR swab testing for Screening, and ongoing screening during the race, were detailed as essential and recommended actions.
In addition, social distancing measures were imposed between the competition bubble, team bubble, race organization staff, media, and the general public. Race organizers had to appoint a so-called COVID-19 coordinator and a COVID-19 doctor.
The UCI stated that teams and organizers who failed to implement the protocol would be fined. According to an investigation by the Federation of Cyclists, teams and riders take the protocol seriously.
The federation also took the opportunity to measure the impact of COVID-19 on professional cycling to help identify problems so that future races will meet the correct standards.
The results will help the sport prepare for the upcoming season, when the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to affect racing again.
Among additional statistics from the survey, it was noted that 68.8 percent of riders felt that spectators were not taking the necessary safety measures during events. In addition, 43.8 percent of riders felt that they did not receive the required COVID-19 tests or follow safety measures, 37.5 percent felt that race organizers did not respect protocol, 35.7 percent felt that the media did not respect protocol, 29.2 percent felt that anti-doping officials were not following protocol.
The biggest concerns were related to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 81.3 percent of athletes concerned about contracting the virus and 64.6 percent concerned about accommodations such as hotels, restaurants, and buffets, and the presence of other guests in the hotels.
However, when asked if the athletes felt that the race organizers respected the COVID-19 protocol, 70.8% said yes. When asked if the teams have a specific COVID-19 protocol, 74.5 percent said yes and 21.3 percent said no.
Regarding access to a team doctor, 71.1 percent of the players said their team had a designated doctor they could contact, 8.7 percent said their team had a team doctor they could not contact, and 19.3 percent said their team had a designated doctor they could not contact. Six percent did not have a team doctor.
With regard to the mandatory COVID-19 PCR test, 45.8 percent of the players who responded to the survey said their team arranged the test, 20.8 percent said they had to arrange the test themselves, and 33.3 percent said their team sometimes arranged the test and 33.3 percent said that sometimes the team arranges the inspections and sometimes they arrange the inspections themselves. In addition, 74.5 percent of the players indicated that their teams paid for their own testing, and 8.5 percent indicated that they paid for their own testing.
Races in the women's peloton resumed in July in Emmacmén-Nafaroaco Classicoa, Classicoa Navarra, and Durango Durango, and the CCC-Liv is concerned that new cases of COVID-19 will occur, and that other teams and race organizers will not follow the UCI COVID- 19 protocols, and withdrew from the first two races out of concern that they did not guarantee a virus-free and protective bubble for the teams.
The events noted as following the protocol were La Course, Strade Bianche, and GP de Ploué. Athletes noted Giro Rosa, Emmacmén Nafarrok Classicoa, and Tour de l'Ardèche as not following proper protocol.
The majority of the one-day classics were scheduled for the October holidays, as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic entered its second wave across Europe, with several new cases among the women's peloton.
The CCC-Liv team did not start the Brabantse Pijl Dames (October 7) after the team had already assembled for the race and tested positive for COVID-19.
Kirsten Wild (Seratijit-WNT) did not participate because she tested positive for the virus before arriving in Ghent-Wevelgem (October 11). In addition, the entire Ale-BTC-Ljubljana team did not participate in Ghent-Wevelgem after being informed that they had tested positive for COVID-19 on the team.
Ale BTC Ljubljana was quarantined according to protocol and missed the following weekend's Tour of Flanders (October 18), while the Astana and Chevalmaire teams also withdrew from Flanders due to COVID-19 concerns and the increasing number of cases across Belgium.
"COVID-19 infection is now rapidly increasing in Europe," said the Federation of Cyclists, pointing to a major flaw in the protocol design regarding one-day races.
"We are also witnessing an increase in positive COVID-19 tests in the women's peloton and the resulting withdrawal of riders and teams from races. Currently, there is no guidance for positive tests between one-day races held in close proximity.
Based on the COVID-19 findings, the Federation of Cyclists asked the UCI the following question: does the UCI have the capacity and will to fully implement its own COVID-19 protocols? Can the organizers and teams really operate in a safe "bubble" environment?
"We await their response," the Federation of Cyclists said.
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