The National Times - World cycling eases Covid-19 protocols for 2022 season

The UCI stressed, however, that "when the national laws of the host country of an event are more stringent than the UCI rules, the former takes precedence".

"If national laws are less stringent, it is the UCI regulations that will apply," added the international federation.

Dr Xavier Bigard, medical director of the UCI, told AFP the changes "take into consideration the favourable evolution of vaccination coverage, the dangerousness of the last variant, and the application for two years of perfectly followed safety rules which have resulted in a certain success".

The easing of constraints relates in particular to the number of PCR tests which competitors and team staff must undergo.

"A correctly vaccinated rider will have about 15 tests to do in the year which is a reduction of three or four times the amount compared to last year," continued Bigard, pointing out that almost 89 percent of riders and team members have been vaccinated.

"For the past year there have been very few cases of the virus in cycling, no hospitalisations or serious experiences," Bigard added.

"If by luck in 2022, it turns out that we have less than 15 to 20 Covid cases per 100,000 inhabitants in all countries, that would mean that the pandemic is behind us and in this case we will take a decision to delete the protocol."

S.Collins--TNT