Several pro races that should have taken place next year have been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Tour de Yorkshire the latest to pull the plug.
The Tour Down Under had already been cancelled before the
Yorkshire announcement today and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is also
off.
The Tour de Yorkshire – run by Welcome to Yorkshire and
Tour de Franc owners ASO – had been due to run next year from April 30th to May
5th, with races for men and women.
It is a race that has been good to Irish riders; Eddie
Dunbar (Ineos Grenadiers) putting in a great ride in 2019 when he lit up the
final stage and eventually finished 3rd overall.
Nicolas Roche was also 2nd overall in the event in 2016, as a Team Sky rider; again, going on the attack on the final day.
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The event has also been a great opportunity for other top Irish riders to test themselves against the best in the sport.
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Chris McGlinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling) enjoyed a really strong ride in 2019 and Kelly Murphy (Storey Racing) also spending a stage in the breakaway last year.
The event was cancelled this year due to the pandemic and
now a decision has been taken to scrap the 2021 edition for the same reason,
underlining the prospect of Covid-19 significantly impacting the pro scene next
year.
“We will collectively do our best to re-launch the event
in 2022 and give the chance to the world’s best riders to be on the Yorkshire
roads in front of one of the most enthusiastic audiences the cycling world has
ever seen,” said director general of ASO Yann le Moenner.
Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive James Mason said
the region had bigger issues to focus on now than the race and it had to focus
its resources where most needed.
“During these
uncertain times Welcome to Yorkshire need to focus on the immediate needs of
the industry without committing both financial and human resources towards any
activity or event that we cannot be certain of," Mason said.
"Whilst it is very disappointing that we will be
bereft of this wonderful race for another year, the decision we have made it
the right one and perhaps the only one we could make. The uncertainty in front
of us meant it was impossible to plan or commit the resource that the race
needs.
“This has been a mutual decision made by Welcome to
Yorkshire and the ASO and we will all now look forward to putting all our
energies into bringing the race back bigger and better than ever in 2022."
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