Posted 04/01/2020 @ 2:40 PM
Covid-19 Update PCA
The guidelines surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic are changing daily. If your county and local government permits outside exercise please understand the risks and impact on others if you were to have a mishap on the bike. If you decide to ride outside by all means ride alone and not in a group. Group riding does not meet the necessary social distancing mandate.
Covid-19 Update UASC
The USA Cycling suspension of all issued permits for sanctioned events – including USA Cycling races, rides, camps, and clinics – through May 3, 2020 is still in place. USAC has been disseminating updates via email to all riders. By now most of you know the financial and organizational impact moving the summer Olympics in Tokyo to 2021 has had on USA Cycling and those who were slated to compete.
There are a number of track riders (Mandy, James, Shane, etc.) who call VPCC their home that were on the short list to compete in Tokyo. Hopefully all will continue to prepare for the 2021 games and hit the ground running when training and racing starts up again.
2020 PA BAR Series Changes
I am hopeful, slim as it may be, that racing starts up in mid-May. With the current USAC restart date four BAR races have been cancelled:
- Shippensburg Scurry (RR)
- QCW Criterium
- Lower Providence Criterium
- Turkey Hill RR
In addition the promoters of Tour de Gretna (5/9) have opted to cancel their race. I do not that many Race Directors have been working on contingency plans to reschedule races. Twelve (12) BAR races are slated to take place from May 17th (Kitchen Road Criterium) through September 13th (Thompson Bucks County Classic).
Based on the current state of racing in mid-May and the likelihood that racing may be pushed to June the following changes will be in effect for the 2020 series:
- Based on the decreasing number of series events the Best 8 scoring strategy will not be used.
- I am a big proponent of state events but realistically we will lose a few of those races this season thus the Double Points incentive is in effect for 2020.
News and Notes
- I will update the race listing this week with all events that are scheduled from May 7th through the end of the year.
- While I havent posted any takeaways from the PCA board meeting from last month Joan Hanscom (VPCC) is still planning to have as full of a race schedule as possible once we get through this pandemic and that includes Masters Track Nationals and Friday night racing in June.
- I am sure the sales numbers for trainers will balloon the latter part of the year as I am sure many of you are giving yours a workout to be sure. I have been on mine when I can and am currently watching the 2000 Paris-Roubaix. I must say that Johan Museeuw is a beast on the pave.
Please be safe and well during this difficult time in our lives and I, like all of you, hope we can be riding and racing again soon.
David H. Mitchell
President – Pennsylvania Cycling Association (www.pacycling.org)
215-284-2339