According to a Tuesday report in The Wall Street Journal, EF Pro Cycling has written to the UCI and race organizer RCS Sport requesting that the Strade Bianche, Milan - San Remo, and Tirreno-Adriatico be cancelled due to concerns over the Covid-19 coronavirus A letter was sent requesting that these events be cancelled.

RCS Sport announced Monday that the races will go on as scheduled despite the virus outbreak in several areas of northern Italy, including Lombardy, Tuscany, and Veneto. The Milan-San Remo race will start in Lombardy, while Saturday's Strade Bianche will be held in Tuscany.

The Wall Street Journal obtained a copy of a letter from the U.S. World Tour team.

According to the U.S. newspaper, EF Procycling cited guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a federal agency, for Americans to avoid non-essential travel to Italy, and the BBC reported this week that the death toll from coronavirus in Italy has risen to 52

As a result.

As a result, the Italian government is believed to be considering canceling all sporting events for the next month in order to stop the spread of the virus.

According to the Wall Street Journal, "We believe it is best to follow this advice and make every effort to maintain the health of our staff and riders so that they are not at risk of transmitting the virus," the EF Pro Cycling letter It states.

"We will work closely with you on any plans you may have to safely host these races now. We are also open to rescheduling races in the future."

"The team feels responsible for the public health efforts taking place throughout the affected areas, and we feel a responsibility to our fans and the people of the towns and cities we travel to as part of the World Tour."

Cycling was directly affected by the coronavirus last week when the UAE Tour in the United Arab Emirates was cancelled on Thursday with two stages remaining after two suspected cases of coronavirus occurred in two staff members of participating teams.

Riders, team staff, race organizers, and race site media were then confined to a hotel in Abu Dhabi for testing, and most teams were allowed to return home after being confirmed negative, but Cofidis, Groupama-FDJ, Gazprom Rusvelo and UAE Team Emirates remained in the hotel for further testing, while UAE Team Emirates voluntarily tested.

On Tuesday, however, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced that six race officials had tested positive for the virus. As a result, those remaining at the Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island Hotel will undergo further testing.

"The six people diagnosed with the new coronavirus include two Russians, two Italians, a German, and a Colombian. These patients were linked to two previously announced patients associated with a cycling event, a tour of the UAE."

With the possibility of further race cancellations and EF Pro Cycling's request to not participate in upcoming Italian races, pro cycling may be severely affected in the coming weeks and months.

Cycling News contacted EF Pro Cycling for further comment on their request to not participate in the Italian spring race.