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Paris-Roubaix cancelled in response to soaring levels of coronavirus

Race would have finished in area recently moved up to ‘maximum alert’ status

The 2020 edition of Paris-Roubaix – already rescheduled for October 25 from its original date of April 12 – has now been cancelled outright. The decision came after Lille, where the race finishes, was designated a maximum alert area for levels of Covid-19.

France is utilising a localised 'alert' system that sees strict restrictions imposed in areas with the highest density of coronavirus cases.

Thelocal.fr reports that a maximum alert means there is an infection rate above 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and a very high level of spread among the elderly (more than 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). It also means that intensive care units have filled over 30 percent of their beds with Covid-19 patients.

In areas at maximum alert, bars must close for at least two weeks and all other public spaces that do not already have strict hygiene rules in place must also close.

Speaking last week, Michel Lalande, the prefect of the Hauts-de-France et du Nord region, said: “The Tour de France took place. I imagine that health measures are also being studied for Paris-Roubaix.

“But I say it as regional prefect, I will soon meet the organisers to see, in a context of increased circulation of the virus compared to the Tour de France, what position we are taking on Paris-Roubaix."

Organisers have now said that Lalande has requested that both Paris-Roubaix and the inaugural edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes be cancelled.    

“We will see you on the cobblestones on the 11th April 2021 to celebrate one of the greatest monuments in cycling,” read a statement.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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iandon | 4 years ago
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Dont know anyone who has had this virus...  mmmm

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to iandon | 4 years ago
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Lucky you. I know me, my wife and her work friend, (who still has lung issues 6 months later). I'm also aware of two people at my work who lost parents and an Indian Contractor I was working with on a project who was 43, relatively healthy with kids who passed away. And another one who was on a ventilator and almost followed. 

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JF69 replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 4 years ago
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AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Lucky you. I know me, my wife and her work friend, (who still has lung issues 6 months later). I'm also aware of two people at my work who lost parents and an Indian Contractor I was working with on a project who was 43, relatively healthy with kids who passed away. And another one who was on a ventilator and almost followed. 

Interesting, thanks for sharing....worrying stuff!

Do you know anyone who was infected & died of other (non-covid of course) more common respiratory viruses?
Or who were debilitated long term or even permanently or their life  drastically changed by infection from other respiratory viruses?

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to JF69 | 4 years ago
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In the last 6 months. No.

In the last 5 years, one. My dad died of Flu induced Pneumonia at the age of 87 two years ago. 

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hawkinspeter replied to iandon | 4 years ago
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iandon wrote:

Dont know anyone who has had this virus...  mmmm

Two friends of mine caught it on a trip to Venice earlier this year though neither were hospitalised - they described it as being like really bad flu for a few days. Another friend's son (20ish) caught it more recently in Bristol and didn't require medical treatment though he found that the loss of taste was worse than the fever.

Edit: All three of these cases had confirmed tests

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
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My Mrs reckons her sense of taste is finally back to normal after 6 months. I just had the fever higher then hers for a couple of days. The cough was the same as I normally get in the colder months when I suck in a lungful of cold air cycling. I will stress that we never got official tests and can only go on the list of symptoms. 

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60kg lean keen ... replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 4 years ago
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Frontline NHS, very sure got Cov-19 in work, so are my managers (I won't go into details). Got flu-like symptoms for a few days then seemed to have kicked it into the long grass. Then on day seven bang, total loss of taste and smell, sore throat, like I had my head over a bucket of boiling tar! Then came the tight chest like a steel band and shortness of breath. I had one night where I knew if this did not stop I was going straight back to work, but as a patient not staff! Then I suffered brain fog and a total sense of grief that had no reason for weeks. The S-O-B took six weeks to go, I couldn't even get out of bed or clean my teeth without my heart rate going to the sky (so no riding a bike!!) as I once passed out and came round on the floor. It took seven weeks to get back to work and then part time, I previously in ten years had had two days off sick due to ill health. I am not overweight and many of my work colleges think of Me as the fit 40 something in work as I cycle a lot! Do not take Cov-19 lightly it can really really ruin your year!!! Yes I am now just getting my old mojo back but it has been touch and go and a very long time coming back to pre illness fitness.

 

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ktache replied to 60kg lean keen climbing machine | 4 years ago
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Good luck on your recovery.

I fear for my better half getting it and indeed worry about myself.  I need to be relatively active at work and have to cycle commute.

It probably took the life of my first big boss, he had risen to be head of a very prestigeous institute.

 

 

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PRSboy replied to 60kg lean keen climbing machine | 4 years ago
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Glad to read you are on the mend... fitness does not seem to be a determinant.  I know two mid 50 yr olds who had it;  One, works out regularly, kickboxer, marathon runner, ended up hospitalised.  The other, overweight, no fitness regimen, had it and barely noticed, only knew he'd had it because his employer paid for antibody tests.

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PRSboy | 4 years ago
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With CV19, Eddie Van Halen dying and now this, go on 2020, jog on.  You won't be missed.

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Rick_Rude | 4 years ago
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The horror, the horror!

We've already got rid of the most vulnerable so this is all getting a bit silly now.

Then again given the high rates of asthma in the peloton (can I write that or is it trademarked?) this is probably a good idea.

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kil0ran | 4 years ago
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Noooooooooooooooooooo!

Was desperate to see if any of the world tour teams were going to swap to XC bikes for the cobble mud sectors

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to kil0ran | 4 years ago
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They always clear off the worst of the mud a day or two before the races so the pics from the other week wouldn't have remotely shown the same conditions as race day. 

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Kendalred | 4 years ago
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Damn. Well at least that's one less dilemma - watch the Giro, the Vuelta or l'enfer du Nord!

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