If that were my situation, and we had reasonable determined that you could not contract the virus again and there were no mutations, I would probably feel comfortable participating.
While not a lawyer I read a lot of contracts and I believe yes. We are in some uncharted territory here as there was always a risk that you could contract any communicable disease at any event. I think youād be hard pressed to be able to prove that you contracted something at an event and it somehow was in the control of the event organizer to prevent you from contracting it. Now if an event moved forward without approval of the local, state, or national government then it is possible but in that case the event would get shut down before it even started.
It wouldnāt surprise me to see additional waivers being required stating something to the effect that youāre aware of the communicable disease risk inherent in attending an event with more than one person and that you assume all risk associated with it.
Iām not saying we should have a 2,000 person crit with live music and tacos tomorrow but we need to be thinking about what are REASONABLE steps that can be taken to mitigate risk while also getting on with our lives. I do not think it is reasonable to shut down all gatherings larger than 10, 100, or 1000 for 2 years while we wait for a vaccine to be deployed to the full population. We are in uncharted waters here but our governments need to be getting their a$$ in gear on starting to chart a course that gradually and reasonably opens commerce to occur. This isnāt just about bike racing, itās about flying on a plane, going to a movie, going to dinner, attending church, going to a graduation ceremony, attending a funeral, and on and on. Some of these races we are talking about only have 300-500 attendees over the course of a 10-12 hour time frame in the case of a cyclocross race. If governments arenāt allowing a cyclocross race with only about 100 people at the venue at a time then how are shopping centers, Ikea, Best Buy, restaurants, live music venues, or movie theaters going to be open within the next 2 years? For heavens sake a an Airbus a320 or Boeing 737, which are the two most common commercial aircraft seat from 100-240 passengers on a single flightā¦about what a cyclocross race would have at an entire venue at one time and you sure have more social distance at a CX race than crammed in an airplane.
Iām rambling here but there has to be plan to relax these requirements.
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This will vary jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but currently the cycling body has suspended all events and coverage, which has the practical implication that teams cannot ride together and be covered by governing body insurance.
Not that anyone should currently be doing things together, but if things do start to improve but cycling governing bodies donāt reinstate, riders wont be covered for team training, for events, or for anything like that. Just something that everyone should be aware of while USAC and others are on suspension. I certainly wouldnt be going to a race that doesnāt have insurance coverage (either from governing body or independent).
Its partly about removing risk from activities, and even if weāre mostly safe, there is always a risk of crashing in cycling.
If it was just about preventing larger gatherings, the first bike racing to resume should be time trials, put some additional rules in (no pusher-offs, no podiums), and you could be very much no contact.
If we go back to containment mode (ie lockdowns are largely loosened) every new case will be investigated and an attempt made to ascertain where it originated. Some infections will have high confidence sources associated with them. (If we canāt do these things, I donāt see how the lockdowns will be significantly reduced.) If the organizer did not follow and enforce the guidance of the appropriate health authorities I could see them being found liable. You only need a preponderance of the evidence in civil courts, much easier than beyond a reasonable doubt.
As an aside, from my reading regarding the start of the spread, the vast majority of infections have been traced to 1 person who was missed out of about 30 in the initial containment. They have a pretty good idea of the spread from the vast majority of those people. Also, with how the genome is being mapped, we will be able to trace generally where an infection came from. (ie travel related or locally acquired.)
Is USAC going to risk this being tried in court to see if they are liable for contributing to the spread of the pandemic? I donāt think so, as losing a case like this could financially destroy the organization. Are they going to update their liability release to specifically exclude it? Not likely either, as this is basically admitting that there is a good chance that their events will facilitate the spread of COVID-19.
Also, with USAC being a National organization, they will likely take a national view of this, which would delay the resumption of activities.
I think weāll need to be in a place where restaurants are open, social gatherings of 100ish people are allowed and considered normal, etc. before racing or other large cycling events will happen. If hosting a BBQ at a local park and having 100 people show up isnāt OK, then I donāt think bike races are going to be OK either. While outside exercise is considered essential in some places, bike races certainly arenāt. In terms of managing risk, I think entertainment gatherings like bike races (and spectators at other sporting events) will be last on the list of risks worth the tradeoff. The economic benefit of these things is quite low compared to other economic activity that should be re-started first. Rank activities in employment/GDP/etc per unit infection risk - where do bike races fit on this scale? I expect this type of analysis being done as we try to restart the economy.
Iām rambling too 
I donāt know how long this can go on for, but so far have yet to see a credible plan, other than āmagicā (ie things are better now, so letās get back to normal.)The only reason things are looking better in some areas is due to strict distancing/isolation, and this needs to be maintained (at some significant level) to maintain these benefits. Going back to normal just puts R0 back up above 1, starting with the (large) number of people still infected.
I have events this year that have been rescheduled, and others that will likely be rescheduled or cancelled. I hope by late summer or fall some can happen, but since there is no plan on how to get there (at least in the US), my view is that not much will be happening this year event wise. I am concerned for the organizers of these events, and plan to defer my registration rather than ask for a refund - I donāt want to contribute to these events going away by demanding my money back. I want them back next year, even if they donāt happen this year.
Real life isnāt coming back until there is a vaccine, which will be 18 months at best. No race organiser will take the risk of being the event that causes a new āclusterā.
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I find it interesting that USAC just pushed to only May 31, although I could see races popping open in June again. Itās really hard to say though since we donāt even know where in this wave of virus we are. Stay safe everyone! And ride alone!
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Saw that too. Wishful hoping was my thought.
Just saw some pictures sent to a co-worker of an ex-pat pilot recalled to work over in China. They were airport and cabin pictures. Flight attendants and workers (hard to tell but, gate agents I assume) in full hazmat gear. I didnāt see pictures of pilots. Anyways, Chinese aviation is taking a second wave (going back to work) very seriously. My initial thought was this way of working is unsustainable in our US free market aviation system. If it does appear we have to work like this flight schedules and seats available will be reduced as workers will fatigue much sooner. Prices will have to go way up or temporary quasi-regulation or liquidation of certain airlines.
I own one air service stock which has served me exceptionally well over the last decade. The last month has seen a 60% chop in price and whipsaws +/- 20% almost daily. Itās going to be crazy until thereās some kind of stability (be it good or bad) and people can figure out a best course.
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Yes unfortunately I sort of agree with @djdavies in that until we either have a cure or we know the denominator life will be unstable. Compared to pre covid-19 days that isā¦
I dont think we will see any racing until we have a vaccine or an anti body testing programā¦maybe 2021? Epic Rides sent out an email saying they were possibly going to cancel the entire 2020 calendar due to the fact that the host cities didnt want an influx of travelers to their region for racesā¦the guests wouldnt be welcome.
UK tt are off until at least 30th June - I canāt see any racing this year but then UK tt are mainly local bar the Nat. Champs. at all distances. Iāll race the first chance I get but Iām not expecting to set the world on fire!
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In terms of restarting racing, I am guessing that Merckx style TTās will be popular with race organizers.
That actually would almost be kind of cool if this helped get TTs and/or hill climbs started in the US.
Iām really really hoping cross season doesnt get cancelled here in Chicago. Butā¦that might actually be a reasonable workaround. The streets are empty. Wouold be a much easier sell closing down streets. Might be possible to set up TTs in the fall with personal start times, 6ā taped off sections for lining up, etc.
I really dont want to swap cross for TTsā¦but Iām currently working on my best ever fitness coming in Aprilā¦so really want to race SOMETHING.
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Yeah! I donāt see racing or any gathering happening before a vaccine. At least Iāll not even consider going to a such event if knowing Iāll be safe.
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Letās not forget both the public outrage and cascade of movement if a bike race is allowed to happen on the empty streets yet still being denied gathering at places of employment, restaurants, coffee shops, libraries, parks, etc. Cyclists would be pitchforked and people would flood the streets, sending the infection rate to the moon. No sale!
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Screw the public. 
Lol. If youāve been on city streets at any time, I think you will agree that the publics relationship is not based on anything even remotely approaching rational thought. The prevailing view seems to be essentially āthese guys on bikes sometimes cost me 9 seconds on my commute, therefore their lives are not worth preserving.ā
Iām of the opinion that public opinion of cyclists in this country is static, unchangeable, and not based on reality. No point in even concerning myself with perception until people decide to get off their phones and stop trying to murder me.
Edit: And thatās not to really imply Iām antagonistic towards drivers. Just that my level of concern for drivers and their concerns ranks somewhere between my concern for what happened to toilet paper I used this morning, and why I keep getting a very odd, long hair that grows out of the top of my right ear.
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Putting on an empty-street bike race isnāt going to improve that relationship/perception.
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I sincerely doubt it would make it worse.
That said, obviously concerns about whether staging a race would be a good idea or not are valid. I just dont include drivers feeling in the list of things to be accounted for.
Edit: OK maybe Iām antagonistic lol. I feel its justified though 