Cycling's Giro d'Italia has been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The race was due to start in Budapest on the 9th of May, with the first three stages in Hungary, where the government has now issued a state of emergency.
“In response to the spread of the coronavirus the Hungarian government has declared a state of emergency. This prohibits the organisation of mass events and makes it impossible to organise international events," race organisers RCS Sport confirmed.
“As a consequence, the Organising Committee of the Giro d’Italia’s Hungarian stages declared that the Giro’s start could not be held in Hungary at the originally scheduled time. All parties have agreed that they are determined to work together to enable the Giro d’Italia to depart from Hungary at a later time.
“RCS Sport, having taken note of the international and national situation, announces that the date of the 2020 Giro d’Italia is thereby postponed.”
Earlier Hungarian politician Révész Máriusz had announced that the Giro would need to be postponed:
“Unfortunately, in Italy, the virus has increased and the number of diseases and the number of victims has increased. As a result, the Italian government has announced a whole country-wide lockdown. Meanwhile, the virus has reached Hungary and in order to stop the virus the Hungarian government has announced a national state of emergency, which precludes the organisation of some sporting events and makes it impossible to organise international events.
“On March 12th, the organising committee of the Hungarian start of the Giro d ‘Italia told our Italian partner that the start of the Giro could not be held in Hungary. The aim of both parties is to change the contract in order to start from Hungary at a later date.”
