The UCI has released a health protocol to protect the health of riders and officials participating in road races scheduled for late July through November. It details mandatory, recommended, or preferred measures, including the installation of a "bubble" to protect the peloton and teams, and screening of riders before and during the race.

Measures of social distancing are imposed between the peloton bubble, team bubble, race organizer staff, media, and the general public. The race organizer must appoint a so-called COVID coordinator and a COVID doctor.

The UCI warns that "the management of suspected COVID-19 during a race must be planned."

After the appearance of a positive case, mandatory measures such as quarantine or suspension of the race will be imposed in accordance with national rules applicable to both the suspected case and those in close contact with that person. Suspected cases are sent to local COVID testing centers.

"This protocol of instructions and recommendations is fundamental, especially for teams and organizers looking to resume cycling races," said UCI President David Lapartiento.9]

"These measures depend on the laws and measures of the different host countries, and adaptations may need to be adapted, but this protocol is another step forward in the revival of our sport."

." After the publication of the calendar, we now have a framework that will allow riders to race again"

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The protocol is based on the work of an international task force established by the World Health Organization and World Athletics, which includes UCI Medical Director Professor Xavier Bigard, riders, teams, doctors from the cycling world, representatives of organizers, CPA ( Association of Professional Cyclists), a representative of women, and Katerina Nash, president of the UCI Athlete Commission, led the process.

The UCI clarified that the protocol is dependent on the laws of the region or country where the race is held, with the aim of reducing the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic as much as possible. clarified that the protocol is dependent on the laws of the region or country in which the race is held.

In a press release, the UCI explained that the health protocol establishes three general principles:

"The first is that each team (athlete, entourage, and doctor) must form a "team bubble." Once the race starts, the team bubbles merge to form the "peloton bubble."

The second corresponds to the three levels of a pandemic, depending on its intensity:

The third defines measures that are considered "essential, recommended, or desirable" depending on the severity of the epidemic situation.

"Measures considered mandatory in any case include the appointment of staff in charge of protocols at the competition by the organizer (COVID coordinator and COVID doctor), screening of athletes by the team (before and during the competition), adaptation of risk zones by the organizer (registration , feeding zones, awards ceremony), and respect for the precautionary "bubble" principle during accommodation and transportation by the teams.

These measures and rules apply at various moments before, during and after the stages and races.

Teams must conduct COVID-19 inspections of riders and staff in the "team bubble" before the race and then follow the protocol of daily medical monitoring. Social distancing measures will be taken and special accommodation rules will be established at the team hotel.

Award ceremonies will also be adapted and the UCI will be responsible for special anti-doping protocols.

The possibility of COVID-19 cases occurring during races has been the biggest concern among athletes and race officials, with at least one case suspected, particularly on the last day of the Paris-Nice race in March.

If a COVID-19 outbreak is discovered during the Tour de France, the race will likely be suspended unless all other riders and staff in the bubble test negative for the rapid test and the infection of race personnel is also controlled.

In Italy, the World Tour season resumes on August 1, but a strict 14-day quarantine rule for any contact with a suspected COVID-19 patient could cause major problems for the resumption of the Serie A soccer championship.

On Thursday, a law allowing "soft quarantine" was finally introduced after the number of new COVID-19 cases per day in Italy dropped to just a few hundred. Now, if a soccer player is suspected of having COVID-19, everyone else in the team bubble must be quarantined in the team hotel while they are tested. Serie A could continue, but special expedited testing would have to be conducted on match days.

According to the official government website, a similar strict 14-day quarantine rule now applies in France.

France's Ligue 1 soccer championship has been canceled, but French Sports Minister Roxana Marassineanu has said she is in favor of holding the Tour de France as long as health and safety conditions are respected. In the coming weeks, French rules are likely to be relaxed, as are Italian ones. However, the threat of suspected COVID-19 cases remains an important point in the safe hosting of major races.

The bubble of a soccer team consists of about 50 players and staff. The Tour de France "team bubble" consists of about 25 riders and staff, while the "peloton bubble" consists of 22 teams of eight riders, for a total of 178 riders. It is unclear whether it would be possible to test all athletes and team staff in the event of a suspected case within a team during a stage race. If this is not possible, it is unlikely that the race would continue. However, the UCI has specified that local and national laws would apply.

The UCI health protocol specifies that in the event of a suspected case of COVID-19, the team doctor will be in direct contact with the COVID resident doctor on the organizer's medical team. This COVID doctor will direct the patient to the nearest COVID center or specialized service.

"Enforcement measures in line with national rules will be applied both to the "suspected case" and to persons who were in close contact with that person," the UCI statement said.

"All these measures strictly apply the health rules in force in the country and are based on WHO regulations. The organizers must inform all participating teams of the detailed protocols applied by the health authorities and identify the conditions of health quarantine and the identities of those in contact with carriers.