Update 1 April 2020
The Eurobike, the most important trade fair for the bicycle industryis currently scheduled to take place as planned from 2-5 September. The organisers stated that they are making serious preparations for Eurobike 2020: "Despite all the current restrictions and uncertainties due to the coronavirus, we are working conscientiously and regularly on the preparations for Eurobike 2020 in September." VELOBerlin 2020, on the other hand, has been cancelled.
Also the 24-hour race in Munich's Olympic Park is to take place as planned. The organisers of the 24h Race 24 in Munich (29/30 August 2020) wrote in an email: "With our date, we are fortunately in a phase when small sporting events will hopefully be allowed to be held again. Should we have to do this under special conditions, we will do everything we can together with the authorities to develop a situation that allows us to hold the event safely, but of course still gives you a lot of fun."
The Olympic Games in Tokyo have a new date. The IOC has confirmed that the event will be held from 23 July to 8 August 2021. The MTB races traditionally take place in the last days of the event.
Bavaria and the Saarland were the first to Exit restrictions extended until 19 and 20 Aprilthen other federal states such as Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony and Hamburg. The different regulations depending on the federal state - exit restrictions or contact restrictions - remain in place. For cyclists, the following still applies in times of corona: Cycling yes, but preferably alone!
Update 25.3.2020
After days of criticism, the IOC and Japan gave in yesterday: Tokyo Olympics will be postponed. But what do Germany's most successful mountain bikers think? We asked Elisabeth Brandau and Manuel Fumic. Read more...
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2020: So far, four race dates that were planned until May have been cancelled. Including the Downhill World Cup in Fort William and Losinj. For the Cross Country World Cup in Nove Mesto na Morave and the downhill race in Maribor, on the other hand, the organisers are working with the UCI still has alternative dates in autumn discussed.
The UEC MTB European Championships in Graz will be postponed from the planned date in May to 3-6 September. The Cross-Country World Championships in Albstadt, on the other hand, have not yet announced a postponement or cancellation. However, the organisers are now saying: "All options are being examined. We have enquired read more
The two cycling clothing brands Biehler and Santini produce respiratory masks. Ineos - the main sponsor of probably the most famous professional road cycling team - wants to fast-track the construction of two factories that produce disinfectants. Large Clothing brands such as the traditional German company Trigema, the fashion chain H&M and the fashion label Prada have Production reorganised in light of the coronavirus crisis. More info here...
The coronavirus crisis is forcing many Home office. Also the BIKE editorial team. How can a magazine be produced when the children are at home due to daycare and school closures? An experience report by BIKE editor-in-chief Henri Lesewitz. to the article
While many people simply continue to work from home or in the office Mountain bike pros get creative in the face of coronavirus restrictions. We asked ten MTB professionals, how they train in these turbulent days. to the article
Update 23.3.2020
The coronavirus has grounded the whole of Germany. BIKE editor Ludwig Döhl describes how free you can feel on a mountain bikewhile the country groans under lockdown restrictions. to the field report
Japanese Prime Minister Abe and the IOC have agreed for the first time to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are being considered. However, nothing has been finalised yet and the decision is expected to be made in the next four weeks. Meanwhile, Canada and Australia have announced that they will forgo the Olympics if the Summer Games are not postponed.
A pity, but predictable: Even the Continental BIKE Festival in Willingen was postponed from May to August. More info here...
Update 22.3.2020
On Sunday, the federal government, in consultation with all federal states Exit restrictions for the entire Federal Republic of Germany extended. Gatherings of more than two people are prohibited! Exceptions apply to families and flat-sharing communities. The same applies to cyclists Rules, as in Bavaria, which you can find here.
Update 21.3.2020
The UCI has announced two more stages of the Mercedes-Benz Mountain Bike World Cup 2020 have been postponed or cancelled. Namely the Downhill World Cups #2 and #3, which were due to take place on 2/3 May in Maribor, Slovenia, and on 9/10 May in Lošinj, Croatia. The Downhill World Cup on the Croatian island has been completely cancelled from the 2020 race calendar, with the stop in Maribor to be rescheduled. In addition, the UCI:
In light of the current situation, the UCI fully supports the fact that the running of the events would have potentially presented a health risk to riders, to everyone involved in the event and to fans, and could have contributed to the spread of Covid-19. The new date of the Maribor leg will be announced by the UCI, in consultation with the organising committee, on due course.
The first UCI MTB World Cup in Cross Countrywhich is due to take place on 23/24 May in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, is in doubt. Following the postponements or cancellations of the first three World Cup downhill events due to the coronavirus, the organisers are openly considering an alternative date in September or October. A decision as to whether the World Cup in Nove Mesto can take place on the planned date will be made on 20 April at the latest, according to the Organiser website means:
We also monitor other cultural, sporting and social events, both in the Czech Republic and abroad. The situation is very difficult to predict and changes every day. We collect all important information from our country and report them to the UCI representatives on a weekly basis. Even though that our episode of the WC series is scheduled for more than two months from today and we hope to see it happen in its original timeframe, the likelihood that this will go as planned decreases day by day. Therefore, we have set a decisive date: April 20, 2020! If we'll have a clear statement from the Czech government and UCI by this date that the event can take place in the original date, we will go ahead with preparations.
In addition to Bavaria, the
City of Freiburg has imposed a limited curfew as of today
. The two-week ban on entering public places in the MTB stronghold in Breisgau is valid until Friday, 3 April. However, just as in Bavaria, cyclists and mountain bikers are still allowed to enjoy sporting activities, but alone or with the family.
The Covid-19 curfew in the Upper Palatinate town of Mitterteich (district of Tirschenreuth), which has been in force since 18 March, also affects the two major German bicycle manufacturers Cube and Ghost. How the You can read about how the coronavirus pandemic is slowing down these two companies here.
Update 20.3.2020
With California is the first US state to introduce a curfew imposed. This affects many well-known MTB companies such as Specialised, Marin, Crank Brothers, Santa Cruz or Ibis. Ibis has issued this statement on the restrictions this entails:
Dear Customers, On Monday, March 16th, Santa Cruz and six other counties in Northern California issued a "shelter-in-place" order to halt the rapid spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This order went into effect at midnight and is in place for the next 3weeks. The ban is scheduled to lift on Tuesday, April 7th. What does this mean? This order requires nearly seven million residents to stay at home unless absolutely necessary. Residents may leave to engage in essential activities, like grocery shopping or doctor visits. All non-essential businesses must shut down. We are currently investigating options to continue operations, but production and shipping are temporarily shuttered. This includes webstore orders. The rest of our staff will be working from home. While we won't be able to answer our regular office line, we will be monitoring voicemails, emails, and our social media channels. Our number one priority during this period is ensuring our employee safety. Over the past two months, we've ramped up cleaning measures and canceled all non-essential travel. We've also modified our paid time off policies to ensure that all employees, including hourly workers, do not suffer the loss of income or benefits. We offer our deepest sympathy to anyone affected. As the situation develops, we will continue to update everyone.in the meantime, we ask you to wash your hands, avoid touching your face, and remember to Ride More, Work Less. Sincerely, Ibis Cycles
Meanwhile, Korbinian Engstler (Raymon), together with his friend Stefan Riedlinger, has published the #StayAtHomeBikeChallenge into life. "It's important to raise awareness of the topic and provide inspiration. That's why we combined two things that don't necessarily belong together: the bicycle and the living room," explains Engstler. The result is this video:
The whole of Tyrol is in quarantine, including the rest of Austria exit restrictions apply: Is cycling still allowed there? Austria's Sports Minister Werner Kogler speaks plainly. More info here...
Update 19.3.2020
After the German government yesterday imposed a ban on all shops that do not serve the basic needs of the population from opening their doors, many federal states today banned the opening of shops that do not serve the basic needs of the population. Bike shops and bike shops partially open again and at least offer a workshop service. More info here...
Outdoor cycling training is now also possible in
France officially banned
. The curfew rules prohibit both professional and amateur athletes from riding road bikes and bikes in public.
Although the European Football Championship, the first major sporting event, has already been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the IOC is still sticking to its plans to postpone the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2020 to go through with it. But the critical voices from all sides are getting louder and louder.
And what are MTB pros doing in times of corona? Downhill world champion and joker Loic Bruni (Specialised) has announced a live spinning session on his Instagram channel for Friday. When have you ever seen an MTB world champion as a motivator for roller training?
Update 18.3.2020
The 27th FSA BIKE Festival Garda Trentino will not take place as planned from 1 to 3 May at Lake Garda in Italy due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but will be postponed to 24-26 July 2020. More info here ...
The family Bike festival in Freiburg will be postponed from April to autumn 2020, as the organisers announced:
"2020 marks the ninth edition of the Bikefestival Freiburg in the heart of the Black Forest metropolis. Over the past eight years, the festival organised by Mountainbike Freiburg e.V. has become an integral part of the European bike event landscape. Surrounded by some of the best bike trails in Germany, mountain bikers from all over southern Germany, Alsace and Switzerland traditionally celebrate the start of the new season in Freiburg at the end of April.
In 2020, there will be a new event site with over 70 brands and the first enduro race on Freiburg soil. The coronavirus pandemic has now led to another change: The festival will be postponed to autumn.
The new date for the Bikefestival Freiburg is 25-27 September 2020. The enduro race originally planned with the festival has also been postponed and will now take place on 26 September 2020 instead of 25 April 2020 as planned."
Many bike manufacturers have now sent their employees to work from home and are setting themselves up with Appeals to the cycling communitysuch as Specialised:
"We ask you as Specialized riders to help stop the spread of the virus by respecting all riding and travel restrictions in your country, avoiding riding in groups and thinking seriously about the risks of an accident and the related resources in the hospitals in your region." (Mike Sinyard, CEO and founder of Specialized)
Or Orbea with the hashtag #StayAtHome and this video:
As it is in the Decree of the Federal Government
in view of the corona epidemic from 16 March 2020 states that "sports activities on and in all public and private sports facilities, swimming and fun pools, fitness studios and similar facilities" will be suspended and the facilities closed. Of course, this also affects Public dirt facilities, bike parks and pump tracks. The instruction is expected to apply until 19 April, i.e. the end of the Easter holidays. This means that the start of the season will be delayed for parks such as the bike park on the Geisskopf:
Update 13.3.2020
The Absa Cape Epic is cancelled by the organiser two days before the start due to the coronavirus pandemic. The health of the participants is paramount. More info here ...
Canyon has cancelled its event planned for 25/26 April 2020. Pure Cycling Festival at the company headquarters in Koblenz "against the backdrop of current developments and official recommendations regarding the spread of the coronavirus". A specific date for the 2020 edition of the Pure Cycling Festival will be announced in good time. The target date is late summer.
Update 12.3.2020
In France, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, all cross-country races in the national racing series that were planned for March and April have been cancelled. The Bundesliga race in Heubach (25/26 April) was cancelled yesterday for 2020. According to a press release:
"The 20th edition of BiketheRock powered by KMC will not take place until next year. Due to the spread of the coronavirus and a decree from the state government, the organisers in Heubach have been forced to cancel the mountain bike festival and the German MTB Marathon Championships on 25 and 26 April 2020."
Update 12.3.2020
Due to the global spread of the coronavirus, the
EWS (Enduro World Series) yesterday announced that the first two events in Farellones/Chile and Manizales/Colombia will be postponed until November.
Even though South America is not yet directly affected by the coronavirus crisis, Colombia has already announced that it will isolate travellers from affected countries such as Italy, France and Spain on arrival. As there is still no end in sight to the spread of the virus, the EWS decided to postpone the two events until November.
The third round is currently scheduled to take place as planned on 23 May in France's Montagnes du Caroux.
Press release of the EWS:
The Enduro World Series (EWS) has announced that the first two rounds of the 2020 season in Colombia and Chile have been postponed in an effort to help contain the global spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus). Round one scheduled to take place in Manizales, Colombia at the end of the month has been moved to the weekend of 7-8 November whilst round two that was due to take place on April 4-5 in Farellones, Chile will now take place on 14-15 November 2020. South America currently has a very low incidence of confirmed cases of Coronavirus, but with riders travelling to the events from across the globe the decision has been made to delay the races until later in the year in the interest of everyone's safety.
Update 11.3.2020
The first station of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2020 in Portugal was postponed. The first Downhill World Cup of the season was due to take place on 21/22 March in Lousã, Portugal. Now an official Press release from the UCIstating that the MTB World Cup will not take place on this date. An alternative date has not yet been set. The whole of Italy is now a restricted zone. The Grand Est region (this region includes Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne) in France has also been added.
Update 6.3.2020
The Sea Otter Classic - the largest MTB festival in the USA in Monterey - has been postponed due to the coronavirus. The event was originally scheduled to take place from 16-19 April. "After a thorough review of the coronavirus threat, we have decided to postpone the Sea Otter Classic," said a press release. The new date for the Sea Otter 2020 is 1-4 October. The "North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS)which was due to take place at the end of March in Dallas, Texas, has been postponed to 21-23 August 2020 due to the coronavirus.
The Robert Koch Institute has South Tyrol (the Bolzano region) in their list of coronavirus risk areas. This includes the Venosta Valley, a popular spring destination for bikers and one of our test areas.
At the present time, we assume that the
BIKE Festival in Riva del Garda
will take place as planned. But of course we are keeping a close eye on developments and will inform you and our participants, visitors, exhibitors and partners of any changes in good time.
One thing is certain: Whoever wants to buy a 2020 mountain bike model If you want to buy one, you have to reckon with delays in delivery from many manufacturers. Frame production in China has been completely cancelled in some cases due to the spread of the coronavirus. Some companies are already four to eight weeks behind schedule with production. Depending on production schedules, some manufacturers are missing more components or frames, while others are missing fewer. BIKE asked around in the bike industry to find out how the coronavirus is affecting bike companies.
"The majority of our new models have already been produced and are currently being delivered, so there will be no delays in delivery in the medium term. A long-term forecast regarding the few affected models is currently not foreseeable due to the constantly changing situation on site." (Julian Oswald, Scott)
Specialist retail giant Cube, for example, has not yet had to stop production at all. "Nevertheless, we currently have to do without 20-40 per cent of our workforce due to quarantine cases," explains Product Manager Frank Greifzu. Nevertheless, the majority of production facilities in China are currently far from being fully utilised, as workers are not allowed to leave their home countries - e.g. regions such as Wuhan. If deliveries are nevertheless made, they are currently carried out by rail. Manufacturers currently have to do without transport by cargo ship. The industry's internal Taipei Cycle Showa trade fair for bicycle manufacturers from all over the world, has been postponed indefinitely.
"Basically, almost everyone who wants to buy a 2020 model at the start of the season is affected. All it takes is one add-on part, such as a cable clamp, for the bike not to be finished here in Europe. Even bikes made in Germany that use 2020 components from China will have to wait. You can't sell a bike if the brakes or cranks are missing." (Jo Beckendorff, Asia expert & specialised journalist)
Industry insiders suspect that the consequences of the coronavirus will only become noticeable in the medium to long term. As production for 2020 has been underway for a long time and has even been completed in some cases, the shortfalls could only have a noticeable impact on the 2021 model range. Should there nevertheless be supply bottlenecks for the 2020 season, some manufacturers can fall back on the stocks in bulging warehouses in Europe. Even if many plants are currently running again - albeit not at full capacity - or many manufacturers are no longer producing at all due to the punitive tariffs in China, most manufacturers are still sourcing their components from China. These include well-known, large companies such as Giant, Canyon, Focus, Cube, Trek, Cannondale and Radon.
Bike holidays in Italy at risk?
The media are debating the coronavirus in Italy even more fiercely. 650 registered cases, including 17 deaths, have been reported to date. The region around Milan has been sealed off. 200 kilometres to the south, in the Bike Mecca Finale Ligurethe world looks very different. The schools may be closed here too, but there is still no sign of the end of the world. And the holidaymakers? According to the locals, no change. The Freeride Finale shuttle buses are running as usual. Most of the bike tourists come from Germany and Switzerland. "Of course, some of the bikers are a bit panicky on arrival. But with the first few metres on the trails around Finale, most of them quickly lose their excitement," says shuttle driver Jörg from Freeride Finale, assessing the current situation.
Coronavirus jeopardises the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo
"We have to decide in the next two to three months whether we can hold the Olympic Games in Tokyo in good conscience in view of the coronavirus outbreak," said IOC member Dick Pound in an interview with AP News on Tuesday. Postponing the Games in terms of time or even location is out of the question. If the IOC decides that the Olympic Games in Tokyo (24.7.-9.8.2020) cannot take place because the safety of everyone involved cannot be guaranteed, they prefer to cancel. According to Pound, the IOC is relying on the World Health Organisation (WHO) to take action. The final decision is expected to be made at the end of May. The Olympic MTB races are scheduled for 27 July (men) and 28 July 2020 (women).
