Vuelta a Espana cancel departure in Holland due to coronavirus pandemic
The Vuelta a Espana has cancelled plans to stage this year’s departure in Holland because of the “exceptional worldwide situation” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Utrecht was due to host the start of the race, the dates of which are as yet unknown because of the reshuffling of the cycling calendar although an announcement from the UCI could come later on Wednesday.
While Vuelta organisers are still hopeful of the event going ahead, after the World Championships and potentially as late as November according to some reports, they will now be searching for a new route.
🇪🇸 Cancelada la salida oficial de #LaVuelta20 desde los Países Bajos
🇬🇧 The official departure of La Vuelta 20 from The Netherlands is cancelled
🇫🇷 Annulation du départ officiel de La Vuelta 20 depuis les Pays-Bas
— La Vuelta (en casa 🏠) (@lavuelta) April 29, 2020
“The departure of La Vuelta 20 from Holland was a project that had been designed as a big summer party,” La Vuelta Holanda said in a statement.
“Faced with the impossibility of ensuring the planned development of the race’s official departure, with all of the required guarantees for an event of these characteristics, La Vuelta Holanda has preferred to request the official departure’s cancellation.”
