COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented world health crisis.
After the recent French government measures, the Fédération Française de
Cyclisme published a press release on 14 March 2020 which called on all French
cycling organisations and associations, as part of the fight against the spread of
COVID-19, to immediately put into effect the following measures:
– Cancellation of all meetings and situations implying the physical participation
of licence-holders (those in charge, volunteers etc …)
– Cancellation of all meetings and events, both interior and exterior.
– Cancellation of all training sessions.
We published a press release concerning this on 16 March 2020.
The confinement measures will certainly be prolonged and even the most optimistic
predictions are hardly reassuring for the month of June.
We hope that all of you follow the official guidelines and bans.
The l’Ariégeoise is a demanding and difficult high mountain cyclo-sport event
requiring appropriate advance training. Given the present situation, the necessary
preparation for such an effort cannot be optimal.
Also, looking forward to an end to the crisis, there are numerous unknowns to be
considered:
-Convalescence period of those who have contracted the virus
-The fatigue and availability of medical assistance and services
-The psychological state of our volunteers next 27 June
– The lack of advance meetings to organize and guarantee a safe and well-organised
event with our volunteer teams, different state services and our service providers.
As stated in or March 16 communique, we fixed a date in mid-May for a final decision
as to whether or not to continue the event for 2020.
Given the development of the crisis and for all the above reasons, we are obliged to
bring forward our decision.
The l’Ariégeoise 2020 is cancelled.
We looked at different possible options (continuing, putting back the date or
cancellation) and decided on the SAFEST option for everyone.
We thank the over 2000 riders already enrolled for the 2020 edition and offer them
two alternatives:
-The total reimbursement of their participation fees
– Carrying over their participation fee to the 2021 event without any increase in tariff.
The economic problems that cancelling this year’s event will cause us mean that we
will be obliged to increase the 2021 participation fee by 10€.

We will contact all of you quickly to outline what you need to do depending on your
decision.
You will shortly be able to tell us your choice of changing to the 2021 event or
reimbursement before Friday 15 May 2020. After this date, your inscription will
automatically be counted for the 2021 event.
We are currently working to organize this procedure.
So as not to overload the administrative situation, please do not send any emails.
Our office is closed for the moment, so we are unable to take phone calls.
We would also like to thank all our 800 volunteers, our partners, service providers,
employees and the services of the State who have been working for months to
organize the l’Ariégeoise.
Regarding the Challenge Alain LEPLUS, we are currently in discussion with the
Challenge Montcalm organisation. A decision will be shortly be communicated to you.
Please respect the measures put in place by the Government.
In these exceptional circumstances, thank-you for your understanding and we’ll see
you at the l’Ariégeoise 2021.