UCI Nations Cup: reduced overseas field for Hong Kong’s first major sporting event of pandemic era
- The UCI-sanctioned track cycling event from May 13-16 is to take place in a safety bubble set up between the Tseung Kwan O Velodrome and hotel
- Top Hong Kong rider and Olympic gold medal hope Sarah Lee needs to regain that competition feeling ahead of the Tokyo Games, having not raced in 14 months
A reduced field of international and local track cyclists will take part in next week’s UCI Nations Cup – Hong Kong’s the first major international sporting event in the Covid-19 pandemic era.
Organisers said on Thursday less than 100 cyclists from more than 20 national and professional teams would compete in the four-day event at Tseung Kwan O Velodrome, with a similar number of officials. This compares to 440 riders and officials who registered for the May 13-16 event when entries closed three weeks ago.
“All parties involved have been working very hard over the past couple of months to make the event happen and we will go ahead with the inaugural event as planned,” said Alex Wong Chi-yu, executive director of the Cycling Association, the event organisers. “We are providing a safety environment for all participants through the setting up of a safety bubble. Not even spectators will be allowed for the competition because it will be held behind closed doors.
“Some of the riders were from extremely high-risk countries and were not allowed to come to Hong Kong at this moment while some of them have been affected by air travel restrictions and could not book flight tickets. That’s why the number of entries have been reduced.
“Of course, we will monitor the situation closely, especially when the overseas riders start arriving in Hong Kong on Sunday. But so far we are quite happy with the progress.”