Astana Pro Team has become the latest team to withdraw from the race due to the coronavirus outbreak. In a statement Thursday morning, the Kazakhstan team announced that it will not participate in any races for 15 days until the 20th.
This decision means that Astana will miss Strade Bianche, Paris-Nice, and Tirreno-Adriatico.
"With this step, we have chosen to fulfill our social responsibility to protect the health of our players and staff and not spread the virus any further," said general manager Alexandre Vinokurov.
"Of course, we would have liked to participate in all the upcoming races, but safety comes first now. Of course I would have liked to participate in all the upcoming races, but for now safety comes first. It wasn't an easy decision, but I have to protect not only my cycling family, but my family at home."
Mitchelton-Scott has already pulled its men's and women's teams from all races through March 22 out of concern over the spread of cobid 19. Team Ineos announced Wednesday that it will not compete again until the Volta a Catalunya, which opens on March 23, following the tragic death of Nicholas Portal and in light of the cobid-19 epidemic in Europe.
Jumbo Visma and Groupama-FDJ have withdrawn from this weekend's Strade Bianche and GP Larchiano in Italy, while EF Pro Cycling has offered to withdraw from the Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Milano-Sanremo.
Women's teams CCC-Liv and Parkhotel Valkenburg withdrew from the Strade Bianche women's event.
Other team doctors such as CCC, Sunweb, Israel Start-Up Nation, Cofidis, Lotto Soudal, Movistar, Alpecin-Fenix, Rally Cycling, Total Direct Énergie, as well as UCI and race They have written to the organizers ASO and RCS asking for the cancellation of both Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico.
On Wednesday, the Italian government announced that all sporting and public events will be canceled until April 3. Soccer matches will be held behind closed doors, and bicycle races will likely not take place. However, RCS Sport has not yet made a decision on this week's Strade Bianche, which is expected to be announced on Thursday.
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