In the United Kingdom, the United States, and elsewhere, there may be a flurry of questions, mixed messages, and downright contradictory statements from authorities and politicians regarding this particular issue. But in Spain, when it comes to watching the first major men's road race under COVID-19 conditions at the Vuelta a Burgos on Tuesday, no one could claim to have been told what to do or not to do. [One local police officer patrolling the start area of the first stage of the Vuelta a Burgos politely but firmly admonished a middle-aged woman who attempted to enter the crowd of spectators with a mask hanging from her wrist.

Indeed, the signing on for the first stage on Tuesday morning took place in the quaint setting of the centuries-old Burgos Cathedral, right in front of the city.

The only people not subject to regulation were small children. Everyone wore a mask, whether it was the organizers wandering around the cobblestone square, the hundreds of spectators, the 20-odd media, or the few members of the national police force wielding formidable-sized submachine guns. One TV helicopter buzzing overhead in the blazing Tuesday sun looked as if it should have covered the front half of its cockpit with a giant blue cloth and string if it didn't want cops pointing fingers at it from the plaza below.

All 152 riders who participated were equally conscious of following the organizers' pre-race instructions, and when the seven riders wheeled into the main square in Burgos, the only difference between the teams was the color and design of their masks.

However, even though the riders were invariably eager to return to racing after a long rest in the days preceding Burgos, the overall atmosphere in Burgos was subdued. Not only was there no music at the inter-team autograph sessions and the crowd size was small.

Notably, fans politely applauded the names of top players, listened relatively quietly to brief speeches by local dignitaries, and were almost completely silent when asked to do so during the one-minute memorial to the victims of COVID-19.

However, compared to the "usual" stage start, there was no noticeable presence of fans wearing banners or replica team kits, except for one woman wearing an Ecuadorian soccer jersey, and no selfies or autograph requests from the players at all. At least in Burgos, the message that the players needed to keep the necessary social distance seemed to have worn off with a vengeance.

When the five riders of the Israeli Startup Nation arrived at the start, the atmosphere was hectic, partly because of the news overnight that their rider, Omer Goldstein, had tested positive for COVID-19, but it was more than the fans It was among the media and organizers.

It is worth noting that instead of the standard seven starters in Burgos, there were only five at ISN on Tuesday. While the teams in front were ushered onto the stage, they dismounted their horses and stood in the center of the plaza, went through the arc, checked their pre-race temperatures, and then made their way to the podium. Then back to the bikes and back to the bus. All without removing their masks or greeting friends and family individually.

The only moment when the ISN riders seemed to do a double-take was when they rattled off the achievements of the absent riders without looking up from their notes at the riders lined up next to them or noticing that race speaker Alex Dorsett was not on the starter's podium. But after the team leaders (Dani Navarro in ISN's case) made optimistic comments before the race, they too disappeared without the usual fuss, neither seeking nor receiving interviews with radio and television media around the signing area.

Other differences at the start were subtle rather than dramatic, such as the clingfilm on the microphones used by race speakers when interviewing riders and the hand gels provided by some team press to their handlers as riders returned to their bikes. But they all pointed toward a larger, stranger picture.

Something similar happened on the final uphill finish at Alto del Castillo. On the final left-hand bend, just 50 yards out, the bright orange T-shirts worn by a group of supporters clearly indicated which Basque team they had come to cheer for, and in the last kilometer, the spectators were all wearing masks, even if they were not as careful with the distance as at the start. were wearing them.

At the finish line, efficient interviews and a victory ceremony were conducted under masks. But, in keeping with the times, nothing more was done.

Nevertheless, from the first charge up the hill by the top 30 or so riders to the usual fallout from a long day in the saddle, the peloton stretched into smaller and more segmented units throughout the afternoon and evening, but at least the scene remained the same.

And from Felix Großschartner (Bora Hansgrohe), who finished with kisses blowing and arms in the air, to Finn Fischer Black, who was 18 minutes behind and at the tail end of a peloton of 150, looking for a chance to stop pedaling ( All the riders, from Jumbo Visma, were applauded and cheered by the fans.