Vincenzo Nibali called on people to help each other and "stay strong and united" during the pandemic of the coronavirus Covid-19, and that until the new race calendar was finalized and racing resumed, his desire and plans for racing in 2020 were secondary, accepted that it is in limbo.

"It's a strange moment because no one knows when the race will resume. I'm sure other racers feel the same way and ask the same questions, but there are no easy answers and training without a goal seems pointless," Nibali said in Italian, sometimes clearly emotional, as he answered questions in a live Facebook video Friday afternoon.

At its peak, 2,500 people watched the live session, and Nibali answered questions submitted by journalists, including Cycling News. Fans posted more than 1,000 messages, with total views reaching 43,00 soon after the live video. Nibali was born in Messina, Sicily, but lives in Lugano, Switzerland, where he chose to stay with his wife Rakele and their young daughter Emma during the Covid 19 crisis. His parents and brother are in Italy, safe and healthy. Like many, he uses video calls to stay in touch.

In the past 24 hours, 627 people have died in Italy, bringing the total death toll to 4,032; of the 47,000 positive patients, more than 5,000 have fully recovered, but 2,655 are currently in hospitals requiring intensive care. My deepest condolences go out to all the victims of the virus and their families," Nibali said, expressing sympathy for the many Italians who have lost loved ones to the spread of the Covid-19 virus."

"We are often unable to say a final goodbye to those who have died from the virus. It is at times like this that we can only unite strongly and hope that things will improve." [It is gratifying to see that so many people understand the seriousness of the virus problem and are working hard to combat it. My message to you is to get through this at home with your family. We often live hectic, last-minute lives. Perhaps this moment with the family will help us to live differently in the future."

While outdoor cycling is still allowed in Switzerland, Nibali opted for a recovery period after finishing fourth in Paris-Nice. He rarely rode outdoors and called on his Italian cycling colleagues to stay home.

"I took a break from serious training, just a couple of short rides and mountain biking with extreme caution.

"I've seen the debate about people riding on the roads. If I can't go outdoors here in Switzerland, it will be a big change and I will have to work indoors, but I will embrace it. We all have to change what we do and I will too, I won't be going on 6 hour rides but I will try to keep my form. I have called on my friends not to ride in Italy, but the situation is different for professionals who ride for a living.

"People who go out for rides should be careful. I don't think third-party insurance will cover you if you have an accident, and you don't want to use hospital resources. It's best not to take risks. It's best to stay home."

Now that the race has been canceled and even the Giro d'Italia has been postponed, many questions from reporters have been about Nibali's race plans. Nibali confirmed that whatever season he has after contracting the coronavirus will be shaped by the Tokyo Olympics road race.

"I started racing and got better, and I felt it in Paris-Nice. It's especially hard for my teammates who had the Spring Classics as their big goal."

"We still don't know about the race plan. The organizers are trying to find a solution." I think it depends on whether the Tokyo Olympics will be held and the dates of the three Grand Tours.

"The Olympics only come once every four years, so it has to be important. Either the Olympics will be held or we will have to wait a year. I don't think it's a bad idea to postpone the Olympics to 2021. I am 35 this year, so the Olympics could still be my goal. It is important for me to peak for that."

Nibali still wants to ride the Giro d'Italia and will only consider the Tour de France in July if the Tokyo Olympics are moved. He, like everyone else in Italian cycling, refuted the idea of shortening the length of the Giro d'Italia and somehow squeezing it into the new race calendar.

"I will talk to the teams and team manager Luca Guercilena to plan a new ad hoc race calendar this time, like we do in the winter," Nibali said. I think the three Grands Tours have to be the same length; I think the three Grands Tours have to be the same length; I think the three Grands Tours have to be the same length." Is that the way to save all the races? It wouldn't make sense."

Nibali was also against sacrificing players' salaries to bolster team finances, as has been proposed in Italian soccer.

"I don't know why athlete salaries are linked to viruses," he argued.

"When we get through this, it's going to be a difficult moment for our sport, no doubt about it. It will be the same for everyone."

Nibali won the 2018 Milan-San Remo in a solo attack and reflected on his victory. He confirmed that he will participate in a virtual ride organized by RCS Sport and Garmin that will take him through the final stages of the race route.

"The bike is set up and ready to go. I don't really like using my home trainer. I'm interested to see how it goes. I want to have fun, and I want to have fun with you virtually."

Nibali acknowledged that her young daughter is aware of the Covid-19 virus crisis and knows the importance of social distancing. In fact, she said goodbye to her father at the end of the Facebook Live session.

"Stay home. Ciao, ciao." Emma said with a wave of her hand.

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