Irish cycling is set to be hit hard, at least for three weeks, under the latest development with the Covid-19 pandemic as the 26 counties in the Republic have been moved to Level 3.
While riders can still train in their own county, no
racing can take place in the Republic apart from the remaining national track
title races, which must be conducted behind closed doors.
Aside from those track races, no remaining road races can
take place in the Republic, no hill climbs and no cyclocross races.
This ban on racing is for the Republic only – not the
North – and is in place for three weeks from midnight last night when Level 3
kicked in for the 26 counties.
In the North the same ban on racing is not in place and that will mean any remaining racing on the road and upcoming cyclocross races can take place.
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However, no spectators are permitted and cyclists who
live in the Republic cannot travel to those races in the North because they are
not permitted to leave their own county to travel across the Border to race.
The one big glimmer of hope for the 26 counties is that
the restrictions only apply for three weeks, for now at any rate.
Donegal and Dublin have already been on Level 3 before
now and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar on Monday night said it look like the number of
new Covid-19 cases in Dublin was coming down, though more time was needed to be
sure of that.
That offers some home that the Level 3 restrictions that
have already been in place for Dublin were starting to work and that numbers
may begin to come under control during the three-week period of the current
planned Level 3 period.
However, that three-week period may be extended before it
expires. Earlier in the pandemic when restrictions were introduced for set
periods they were often extended by a number of weeks.
More to come.
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