Bora-Hansgrohe have confirmed the location of their pre-season training camp, the first WorldTour team to do so ahead of the recommencement of the revised 2020 season in July, with WorldTour racing scheduled to return on August 1 at Strade Bianche.
The schedule and goals of Bora-Hansgrohe's leaders – Peter Sagan, Emanuel Buchmann, Max Schachmann, Pascal Ackermann and Rafał Majka – have yet to be decided.
Reports in Slovakia suggest that Sagan could ride the Giro d'Italia, as was originally planned, thus missing out on the 'spring' Classics in October. Bora-Hansgrohe played down those reports, with rider schedules expected to be finalised at the camp.
Bora-Hansgrohe will head to Ötztal in the mountainous region of Tyrol, Austria in mid-June, and have made safety preparations to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus that seen much of Europe go into lockdown since March. Travel across much of Europe is expected to be permitted from June 3.
The team will divide their riders into groups during the camp, which will see riders split between staying in accommodation in the valley and at 2000m altitude.
"First and foremost, we are all very happy that things are commencing again," said team manager Ralph Denk.
"This camp serves as a type of prelude to the return to everyday life for all of us. We have two months to prepare for our first races, so the training camp is ideal, and everyone is very motivated.
"Our partnership with Ötztal is really paying dividends because they did everything they could to make this camp possible. We have perfect conditions, both at altitude and in the valley. Therefore, we can offer tailored programs for our athletes, so that they'll all be able to return to top form in August."
The team has put a number of anti-COVID-19 measures into place for the camp, which will offer plentiful climbing with the Timmelsjoch, Rettenbachferner and Ötztal Glacier Road all in the local area.
Team doctor Jan-Niklas Droste confirmed the safety measures, which include hygiene and behavioural rules. The UCI is also working with team doctors on a medical protocol before riders begin group training to detect any COVID-19 cases and carry out any supplementary medical checks.
"For the team, it is, and has always been, our aim, even before the Corona crisis, to offer a responsible and sustainable approach to healthcare for our riders and staff," said Droste. "The Corona pandemic has presented us with new challenges, but it does not lead us to question these values.
"Instead, we are expanding upon them with new concepts that we have introduced to adapt to our new circumstances. The basis of these concepts lies in infection prevention through hygiene and behavioural regulations, well thought-out control over work processes and contacts, and clearly regulated medical measures such as targeted COVID-19 testing."
