The Junior Tour of Ireland that had been due to take place in Co Clare this summer has been cancelled, despite the organisers saying they feel they could have put on a safe race.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, after an Easter weekend
with no road races, organiser Alice Sherratt said everyone on her organising
team accepted there was still a lot a fear in communities due to the pandemic.
However, she said the uncertainty around which countries
would, and would not, be added to the hotel quarantine list had in large part
scuppered plans for what has become a truly international event in the last
decade.
And now the event, sponsored by the Eurocycles Eurobaby company owned by former international Mel Sutcliffe, will not take place in July as anticipated.
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“It has become
increasingly frustrating to try and assess the current environment and plan for
a safe and successful international event of which we are confident that we
could deliver,” Alice Sherratt said.
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“The level of
interest from international teams wishing to come to Ireland and race continues
to grow and by adopting the same protocols for international events as published
by the UCI supported by Cycling Ireland’s own Covid-19 protocols, we feel that
we could have delivered a safe and successful event.
“However, we have
been forced to take the decision in light of the absence of a definitive plan
that could facilitate the implementation of the various Covid protocols
required to deliver safe and successful international events.
“The uncertainty
surrounding the adding of countries to lists for mandatory hotel quarantine has
made it impossible to anticipate and plan for.
“We acknowledge
and accept that there is still much fear within the local communities and it
will take considerable time and effort to alleviate those fears and give local communities
the confidence in welcoming international events once again to their regions
when permitted to do so.
“We must be very
clear in highlighting the challenges currently faced in Ireland by event organisers
for the benefit of our international teams who are so keen to come and compete
here and how there is much work to do to recover from the social effects of
theCovid-19 pandemic.”
The statement
concluded by saying as soon as the situation in Ireland improved, and clear
plans could be made, the organising group would be ready to put on the race “for
the benefit of our young cyclists development and to deliver some hope for
their futures”.
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