Coronavirus: Cairns’ Tour of the Tropics cycling event cancelled
One of the Far North’s biggest cycling events is the latest to be removed from the region’s 2020 sporting calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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One of the Far North’s biggest cycling events is the latest to be removed from the region’s 2020 sporting calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Organisers of the Tour of the Tropics, an annual three-day, five-stage bike race across Cairns and the Tablelands, announced on Tuesday they would not be proceeding with this year’s event, which had been scheduled to run from July 31-August 2.
Co-founder and race director Damien Ingram said the announcement was made with “great disappointment”.
“It is hard work getting an event of this nature up and running and not a decision that has been taken lightly,” he said.
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“The safety of our riders and our supporters is paramount, and will always take precedence.”
Ingram said he had been in regular contact with Tour of the Tropics chairman Nick Loukas and co-founder Andy Taylor in recent weeks, with the trio evaluating the advice of experts and its impact on the event.
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“The Tour’s August date looked to be suitably placed to be the parting of the clouds, providing the aspiration or fitness goal for us all to aim for,” Ingram said.
“This unfortunately is proving unlikely, with revised restriction dates forecast nearer October 2020.
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“Global commercial uncertainty, travel and manufacturing restrictions have made the continued procurement of permits and finance required to orchestrate an event to the standards we set for ourselves, restricted.”
While the event will no longer run this year, Ingram insisted the body of work would not go to waste, with sights already set on an blockbuster return in 2021.
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“We have been in discussions with many of our sponsors and are excited to confirm that they are all willing to roll over their support to next year,” he said.
Originally published as Coronavirus: Cairns’ Tour of the Tropics cycling event cancelled