Milan-San Remo cycling race postponed because of coronavirus

Rome, Mar 6 (AFP) The Milan-San Remo cycling race has become the latest sporting event in Italy to be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the organisers announced on Friday. The early season one-day event, scheduled to take place on March 21, was shelved alongside next week's Tirreno-Adriatico, a week-long stage race.

No alternative dates for either races have yet been given. The Strade Bianchi, the first big race of the Italian cycling season set for Saturday, was cancelled Thursday.

The race's start town Milan is in Lombardy, a COVID-19 hot-spot, and so far 148 people have died from the outbreak in Italy. The Paris-Nice stage race in France is set to go ahead staring Sunday despite several top teams withdrawing due to fears over the virus.

A swathe of Italy's Serie A football matches have been cancelled and the Italian government has decreed that no fans be allowed to attend sporting events inside stadiums until April 3. AFP PDS PDS.