Milan – San Remo and Tirreno-Adriatico have been postponed

Race organisers say work is underway to allocate new dates for the races
Jonny Long

Milan – San Remo and Tirreno Adriatico have been postponed amid the developing coronavirus situation in Italy.

Race organisers released a statement on Friday morning (March 6) saying relevant authorities were unable to allow Tirreno-Adriatico to go ahead while continue to safeguard public health, with RCS Sport then taking the decision to cancel Milan – San Remo, as well as the Giro di Sicilia.

>> Struggling to get out to the shops. Buy the latest issue of Cycling Weekly here, or try 6 issues for just £6 <<

RCS Sport say they will now ask the UCI to allocate them with new dates in the cycling calendar when the races can take place. Trofeo Binda has already been given June 2 after the race, due to take place on March 22, was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak that Italian authorities are working to contain.

It has been rumoured organisers will look to reschedule Milan – San Remo, Tirreno-Adriatico and Strade Bianche for around the time if Il Lombardia, the other Italian Monument that will take place on October 10.

RCS Sport’s statement read: “As the appropriate authorities have verified that suitable conditions do not exist for them to be unable to guarantee the provisions of the DPCM (Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic) on March 4 2020, and to guarantee the safeguarding of public health and the safety of all the people involved, RCS Sport has made the decision to cancel Milan – San Remo, scheduled for March 21, and the Giro di Sicilia, scheduled for April 1-4.

Milan – San Remo won’t be going ahead for the first time since 1945, the last time a Monument was postponed.

The Settimana Coppi e Bartali, a 2.1 race that’s part of the UCI Europe Tour and scheduled for March 29, has also been cancelled, meaning the next pro race in Italy will hopefully be the Tour of the Alps in late April.

Strade Bianche was the first of the three men’s Italian races in March to be cancelled, 48 hours before riders were set to roll out of Siena for the one-day classic.

Organisers met with the mayor of Siena on Thursday morning (March 5) and confirmed it would not be able to meet the restrictions set out by the Italian government for holding a sporting event during the outbreak.