Four concepts for athletes, employees and media representatives, as well as a sophisticated system for avoiding contact during on-site accreditation: Saalfelden Leogang is gearing up for the major event from 7 to 11 October, where around 670 participants from 48 nations are expected.
Saalfelden Leogang is starting the Mountain Bike World Championships from 7 to 11 October with a comprehensive Covid-19 prevention concept. The World Championship participants will be travelling to Salzburg's Pinzgau region from next Saturday under the strictest safety regulations: ‘As a general rule, all participants and their carers must have a negative PCR test, which must not be older than 72 hours, to enter the country. Without this test result, no start number or accreditation can be issued on site,’ explains World Championships organiser Marco Pointner.
All the big names at the start!
As of today (29 September), all 48 registered nations can take part in the major sporting event in Saalfelden Leogang, the second UCI Mountain Bike World Championships after 2012. ‘The entry of athletes has been regulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Health in accordance with the current regulations. There are no exceptions, even for a World Championships. We are all the more pleased that all the big names in the various disciplines will be able to compete for the medals in Saalfelden Leogang,’ says Pointner, who has been working with his team for months on a comprehensive Covid-19 prevention concept.
A total of 13 competitions will be held between 7 and 11 October. The Covid-19 concept provides for a maximum of 100 participants per medal decision: ‘The total number of 674 riders will be split again in order to avoid contact points as far as possible,’ says Pointner.
Separate ‘team bubbles’ will also be set up on the event site - employees and helpers must not come into contact with the athletes' bubbles. In addition to a sophisticated test system and a mobile test station on site, masks are compulsory throughout the entire site, both indoors and outdoors, and everyone involved must keep a distance of 1.5 metres. In addition, thermal cameras on the site will monitor body temperature: ‘Our top priority is to get everyone involved through the week safely and in good health. We want to be a showcase event here and continue to position our region internationally as a mountain bike hotspot,’ says Pointner.
Even though the organisers will have to do without fans on site this year due to official regulations, mountain bike fans will still have the opportunity to follow the World Championship medal decisions live on TV. In Austria, Red Bull TV and ORF Sport+ will be broadcasting the races live.
