Swiss cyclist Stefan Küng in action during last year's Tour de Suisse
Keystone
The Tour de Suisse will not take place this year. The organisers of the cycling race around Switzerland say the coronavirus pandemic has left them with little choice.
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The 84th edition of the Tour de SuisseExternal link should have started on June 7, with an individual time trial in Frauenfeld, northeastern Switzerland. One week later, the competition, which belongs to the World TourExternal link, would have ended in mountainous Andermatt and the Furka, Grimsel and Susten passes.
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It is the first time in the 87-year history of the Tour de Suisse that it has had to be cancelled in peacetime. Only the events scheduled for 1940, 1943, 1944 and 1945 could not be held owing to the Second World War.
The organisers said that although the event had not been banned by the federal authorities they had decided not to postpone the tour until later in the racing calendar as this was not logistically and financially feasible.
“It was with a heavy heart that we have made this decision due to the corona pandemic. We are however convinced that it is the best solution to provide certainty and thus planning security for participants, fans and partners. For the Tour de Suisse, it is also an important step to ensure the continuation of this event in the future,” Olivier Senn, co-managing director of the Tour de Suisse organisation, said in a statement on Friday.
The aim is to hold the event in June 2021, although exact dates have not been fixed.
The Tour de Suisse is just one of many sporting events to have been cancelled or postponed around the world, including the Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland, the Summer Olympic Games, Euro 2020, Formula One races, the French Open and Wimbledon. The Tour de France, set to start on June 27, is one of the few big events that is still taking place, for now.
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