COVID-19 upsets world’s three grand Tours calendar

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

WHEN France President Emmanuel Macron officially announced last week that France’s lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue till May 11 at the earliest (and could be extended up to mid-July as the safest period), Tour de France organizing body Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) quickly decided to reschedule the world’s famous multi-stage cycling event to August 29 -September 20 from the original dates June 27 – July 19.  This was decided even after some ASO members were still keen on staging the prestigious bikathon on the original dates even without spectators at the roadsides, and have fans simply watch the 21-day road battles via the live beam on television. But Pres. Macron rejected the idea. He knows that the annual TdF is a huge tourist crowd drawer and impacts on  rance’s tourist revenues.

Both the world’s second oldest, longest, toughest, and richest cycling road race Giro d’ Italia (Tour of Italy) and world’s third Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), also run in 21 days like TdF that traditionally starts in May and September, respectively, will most likely to follow TdF’s decision. Organizers of the two grand Tours are set to move Giro to October and Vuelta in November.

I’m an avid follower of these three grand Tours since 1961. I followed their day-by-day road battles then through reports of Manila Times. Those periods were the era of Jacques Anquetil, the first TdF five-time champion, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964, Giro in 1960 and 1964, Vuelta in 1963. His compatriot Bernard Hinault duplicated his TdF feat in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985. Belgian rider Eddy Merckx equaled the two Frenchmen’s achievements winning the TdF in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1974. Merckx also won the Giro five times, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973 and 1974, and one-time winner of the Vuelta in 1973. Merckx also won the world road race cycling championships four times, 1964, 1967, 1971 and 1974 aside from winning major eight-day road races and other classic one day road races in Europe. Because of Merckx’ accomplishments which remain unequaled to this day, the world scribes consider him as the world’s greatest cyclist of all time, with the most wins, and I agree. In fact, the scribes call him “Cannibal” because of his domination of the two-wheeled sport during his era.

Spaniard pedal-pusher Miguel Indurain also conquered the TdF five times impressively by winning it consecutively, from 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995, the only rider to accomplish it to this day. He also won the Giro twice (1992 and 1993) and also the winner of gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games individual-time-trial race, to name some.

TdF that started in 1903 and won by Frenchman Maurice Garin, France already produced 36 individual champions spearheaded by Anquetil and Hinault. Belgium won 18 individual diadems led by Merckx and Spain already earned 11 individual tiaras headed by the six-foot-one Indurain, the tallest of all the TdF champions. Italy is fourth with 10 individual titles led by Fausto Coppi.
Tdf defending titlist is Egan Bernal of Colombia, the first South American to accomplish the feat. Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz captured the 2019 Giro while Primo Roglic of Slovenia seized the 2019 Vuelta.

I dare say “Cycling needs Tour and Tour needs cyclists!” And for sure, the grand Tours will be held after the COVID-19 contagion is stopped. Just postponed, not cancelled.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.” EXODUS 23: 25

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