Paris-Roubaix 2021 unlikely to go ahead due to coronavirus situation in the region
The prefect of the region is pessimistic about the Monument's chances of going ahead in April given the current public health situation

Paris-Roubaix 2019 (Photo by Jorge Luis Alvarez Pupo/Getty Images)
Paris-Roubaix is unlikely to go ahead next month due to the coronavirus situation in the region, the prefect of the Hauts-de-France region has said.
Sixteen departments in France went back into lockdown at the weekend for at least a month as cases rise once more, jeopardising the chances of the one-day race taking place on April 11. Lockdown restrictions will include non-essential shops being closed as well as residents having to stay within 10 kilometres of their homes.
"I'll give you an answer when the time is right, but right now you can guess," Michel Lalande told France Bleu Nord radio station. "The sky now looks less blue," he added of his optimism over whether the race will go ahead, saying he doesn't understand why races just over the border in Belgium are still taking place during the public health crisis.
Hospitals are currently overwhelmed in the Hauts-de-France department, ICU beds having an occupancy rate of nearly 120 per cent.
>>> ‘Please take this thing seriously’: the cycling doctor who lost 90W from his FTP due to Covid-19
This will likely be the second year Paris-Roubaix doesn't take place in its usual spring slot after the 2020 edition was postponed at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, pushed back to October, while a subsequent wave of cases in the winter saw the race scrapped entirely for the year.
With vaccination programmes now underway, another postponement until October would likely see the cobbled Classic take place this year.
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Another ASO race, Paris-Nice, was able to take place recently despite the difficult coronavirus situation in France. This was, however, due to the fact the eight-day event was able to re-jig its route and avoid the coronavirus red zone of Nice on the final two days, whereas Paris-Roubaix would take place entirely within one of the 16 departments under lockdown.
When approached, ASO said they would not be making a comment at this time.
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Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
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