Fourteen doctors from professional cycling teams sent a letter to race organizers ASO and RCS Sport, as well as the UCI, requesting the cancellation of upcoming races such as Strade Bianche and Paris-Nice due to the coronavirus outbreak.

On Wednesday, doctors representing a total of 11 teams criticized the ASO and RCS for lacking a "robust plan" to address concerns over the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

The letter, obtained by Cyclingnews, outlines four areas of concern: the lack of protocols to prevent the spread of infection, the lack of diagnostic guidelines, the lack of resources at overburdened medical facilities, and the impact of the isolation period.

"We have seen no evidence from the RCS and ASO that there is a solid plan to address foreseeable concerns or inevitable problem situations," the doctors write, and they then call for the cancellation of the race between the two organizations to be held this month.

"We, the medical directors of the teams, respectfully request the cancellation of the Strade Bianche, Tirreno - Adriatico, and Milan - San Remo. Similar consideration should be given to Paris - Nice unless there is a strong and viable plan.

RCS Sport will host the Strade Bianche men's and women's races on Saturday, March 7, with Tirreno-Adriatico on March 11-17 and Milan-San Remo on March 21.

In Italy, however, more than 2,300 coronavirus cases have been confirmed, mainly in northern Lombardy, Veneto, and Emilia Romagna, making it the worst affected country outside Asia.

RCS Sport is eager to host the race, but the Italian government has now decided to impose restrictions on the sporting event, which may force its cancellation or postponement.

ASO is running the Paris-Nice race in France from March 8-18; ASO announced earlier this week that the race will go ahead.

"For the sake of our athletes, team staff, and public health, this is a responsible course of action," the doctors wrote in their letter.

"We hope that the cancellation of these races will allow us more time to take the appropriate steps to plan future races. We want our team to race. But we want it done in a safe and responsible manner. There is no evidence that the health environment surrounding racing in Italy is safe, and we feel it would be irresponsible to send our team there at this time."

The letter appears to have been issued by the EF Pro Cycling team. The first signatory is their medical director, Kevin Sprouse, and three other doctors from the American team also signed the letter. The other World Tour teams are CCC, Sunweb, Israel Startup Nation, Jumbo Visma, Cofidis, Lot Soudal, and Movistar.

Three professional teams have also joined the support: Alpecin Phoenix with Mathieu Van Der Pol, Rally Cycling, and Total Direct Energie.

EF Pro Cycling requested an exemption from the Italian races mandated as part of the World Tour, and Jumbo Visma announced its withdrawal from Strade Bianche. Lot Soudal, unaware that his doctor had signed the letter, announced that he wished to hold the race this month.

Other teams are waiting to delay their trip to Italy ahead of Saturday's Strade Bianche until a final decision is made.

The letter opens by outlining that cycling is susceptible to the spread of coronavirus, that it brings together people from all over the world, and that it takes place in public in a large area.

"The health of riders, team staff, and the general public must be given top priority.

"Currently, no protocols have been communicated that are intended to protect this. Other sports either cancel their competitions or let them compete in empty stadiums. There is no excuse for putting our team in a situation that could be hazardous to their health.

The letter goes on to cite advice from government health agencies advising against travel to Italy, stating: "Cycling should not play an active role in the further spread of COVID-19. So far, we have not seen any plans from the RCS or ASO to address these concerns."

The second point cites the "dire" situation in the UAE tour. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, 12 players and staff have tested positive for the virus, and some are still stranded there. (Open in new tab)

"If the race takes place in Italy or any other country with COVID-19 infection, we need to guarantee a solid diagnostic capability.

"If that happens, will they be quarantined? Should the entire team be quarantined? If so, for how long? Rapid and accurate testing for influenza, respiratory viruses, and COVID-19 should be a requirement. We must know what pathogen is causing the illness. Of course, we cannot wait for days or weeks. The race will certainly be paralyzed. To date, no plans for testing have been proposed.

And the letter points to the strain on medical facilities in the countries where the race will be held and raises concerns about the quality of care provided to riders in the event of a crash.

"There should be a much clearer hospital treatment plan than is usual for such a race. This has not been communicated.

Finally, the doctors said that it is "very likely" that the situation in the UAE, where riders and teams are quarantined to Italy or France, will be repeated.

"Such a scenario could derail the team's spring ambitions and even affect their preparation for races like the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.