Tejay Van Garderen abandons Paris-Nice following US travel measures
Mar 13 2020 03:19 am CET
© EF Education First Pro Cycling Team
EF Pro Cycling's Tejay Van Garderen has decided to withdraw from Paris-Nice and return to the United States hours after the American government announced measures to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
American president Donald Trump announced that all passenger traffic from Europe to the United States will be stopped for thirty days in an attempt to stop the spreading from the coronavirus. Although American citizens can still enter the country, Van Garderen has decided to fly back home to be with his family.
"Obviously this is a tough decision," said the American rider through Instagram. "My young brother, Sergio Higuita I believe is about to win Paris-Nice. Yet I won’t be able to be there to celebrate with him in Nice. My wife and kids had plans to travel from the US to Nice for the final, but given the current circumstances I couldn’t risk being separated from them with no options of seeing them. So I am returning to the US.
"I hope this situation will be resolved quickly and everyone can get back to normal life. I am hopeful this will all blow over and I can continue my season with the Tour de Romandie and beyond. Until then I will continue to train and stay ready. There is a lot of racing left in the season. But health, safety, and family come first."
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