UCI cancels 2020 Switzerland road World Championships

The UCI road World Championship, originally scheduled to take place from Sunday, Sept. 20 to Sunday, Sept. 27 in Aigle–Martigny, Switzerland were officially cancelled today.

The Swiss Federal Council has put in measures aimed at fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic in special circumstances, which stipulates that major events with more than 1000 visitors or involving more than 1,000 people are not permitted until  2020. To further complicate circumstances, since Aug. 8, travellers from more than 45 countries will be subjected to quarantine when entering Switzerland.

1,200 riders from 90 countries were scheduled to participate in 11 races over eight days in the Aigle–Martigny 2020 road World Championships, which had been in the works for two years.

“We are sad and disappointed,” said Grégory Devaud and Alexandre Debons, World Championships organizing committee co-presidents. “We have worked hard for more than two years to deliver a magnificent event on an extraordinary circuit.  In spite of the constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to work with passion to organize the UCI Road World Championships, which would have been remembered for their sporting value but also for the beauty of our cantons and the richness of our culture and region. We realize that the national and world health situation requires precautionary measures and our thoughts are with all those affected by this virus.”

A new venue

The UCI hasn’t given up hope for a 2020 road World Championship yet. The organization released a statement clarifying that it would continue to seek an alternative venue, but with a little over a month to plan the massive event even if a location is found the event would likely be majorly scaled back.

“Given the sporting importance of the UCI Road World Championships for cycling,” says the statement, “the UCI would like to clarify that it will work towards finding an alternative project to ensure the 2020 edition of the event can take place, with the priority being in Europe and at the dates initially scheduled. It could include all or some of the planned races. The UCI will look for a host city that would be able to provide a route as challenging as that in Aigle-Martigny and which would therefore suit the same type of riders who had initially planned to participate in Switzerland.”