Organisers cancel Canadian WorldTour races

Organisers of Canada’s one-day WorldTour races have opted to cancel the events.

The management behind the Grand Prix Quebec and Grand Prix Montréal have announced the races will not go ahead because of the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

WorldTour racing is schedule to return on August 1 with Strade Bianche, as the UCI has rescheduled most major races after all events were suspended in March due to Covid-19.

But as racing returns, the Canadian organisers have scrapped both their races, which were due to take place during the Tour de France on September 11 and 13.

President of the two races, Serge Arsenault said: “Over the past few months, we have worked tirelessly to organise our races with the strictest respect for sanitary conditions, attempting to respond to different scenarios and in constant liaison with the authorities concerned. Today, too many uncertainties remain (opening of borders, compulsory quarantine, authorisation to hold gatherings, etc.). He would not have been responsible or respectful towards all those who trust us since 2010 to postpone this decision further.”

The UCI has put strict measures in place to minimise the risk of coronavirus spread, as racing returns after a five-month lay-off.

Despite the precautions, a number of teams have already pulled out of races taking place in Spain and Romania.

Arsenault added: "All the efforts made to both preserve our quality standards and ensure the safety of all have turned out to be in vain. There is obviously a deep sadness in putting our races on hold, when in just ten years they have become important events on the international circuit and are greatly courted by the greatest riders in the world. But above all, we are at the service of the riders, the teams, the spectators and our partners.”

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President of the UCI, David Lappartient, said: “"I understand the reasons which led the organiser of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal to make the difficult decision to cancel these two events in 2020, while obviously regretting their absence from the UCI WorldTour calendar this season.”

The organisers say the events will return in September 2021.