COVID-19RACE

PROTOCOL

EVENT: MEDITERRANEAN EPICORGANIZER: PUBLICOM SPORT EVENTS

DATE: 25-26-27-28 MARZO 2021DOC. VERSION. : 3.0 , 11th MARCH 2021

INDEX

1.- INTRODUCTION

2.- OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

3.- MATERIAL RESOURCES

4.- INFORMATION MEASURES

5.- RISK ASSESSMENT

6.- ANALYSIS AND SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR MEDITERRANEAN EPIC

7.- PROTOCOL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL TEAM

1. INTRODUCTION

This document is based on the PROTOCOL OF MEASURES AGAINST COVID19

REGARDING THE ORGANIZATION OF SPORTS COMPETITIONS IN THE

VALENCIAN COMMUNITY, drawn up by the Valencian Community Cycling Federation (FCCV) – the Royal Spanish Federation (RFEC) and the International Cycling Union (ICU).

The measures stated in this document complement the measures established by the

competent authorities.

This document describes the Prevention and Protection Plan to follow when

organizing the Mediterranean Epic, and thus reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection.

The return to competitive activity will necessarily require a change in the behavior of all

those who are involved in the organization of the competition, including the participants,

since it will not be the same as before the pandemic.

This protocol is based on the principles of responsibility, prudence, and civic

commitment, which are in line with the mandatory measures established by the State of

Alarm; as well as on the Basic Protocol of Action for Competitions and Events, such as

the Ministerial Orders or the Regulation of the Regional Government of Valencia on the

conditions for the return to training and the restart of federated and professional

competitions.

Publicom Sport Events considers that it is convenient and necessary to implement safety

measures during all the activity to prevent participants, organizers, and those who attend

and witness the competition, from getting infected and the spread of the virus.

The main aim of this organization is to ensure health care and safety of all the riders,

technicians, commissaires, volunteers and event organizers.

This protocol is a ‘living document’ that contains the information and measures currently

available, in accordance with the latest information provided by the World Health

Organization (WHO), the Valencian Regional Ministry of Health, the Spanish Ministry of

Health, and all the competent authorities; and is subject to adaptations if the competent

state and/ or regional governments update the health protocols.

2.- OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The main objective is to develop a protocol of measures that, when implemented, will

enable to organize the competition, minimizing as much as possible the possibility of

infection from COVID-19. The general recommendations can be summarized as follows:

• Cyclists, technicians, spectators, assistant staff shall keep an interpersonal physical

distance of at least 1.5 meters.

• Spectators, if permitted, must wear face coverings at all times, and follow social

distancing guidelines approved by the competent public health authorities.

• All participants and organizers will be provided with information on the prevention

and control protocols and measures.

• It is recommended that people with health risk factors take extreme preventive

measures or even do not participate in the event.

• If you have any symptoms or suspect to have been infected, or you have been in

contact with infected people or with people who suspect they have been infected,

please avoid any activities, contact immediately the Health Services and follow all

their instructions.

• It is really important to wash your hands with water and soap or hydroalcoholic gel

before and after each competition. We recommend the use of single-dose sachets

with hydroalcoholic solution (recommended time: 30-40 seconds), and we will insist

on washing hands with soap and water (recommended time: 40-60 seconds).

• It is recommended to bring hydroalcoholic gel and products for cleaning and

disinfecting all the equipment used.

• Riders must take individual responsibility for wearing a mask, hydroalcoholic gel,

gloves, etc.

• Riders should not share personal items (including timers, heart rate monitors, or any

other type of material). If so, it must be previously disinfected.

• Avoid shaking hands or hugging.

ANY PERSON WITH SYMPTOMS COMPATIBLE WITH COVID-19 OR WHO IS

QUARANTINED DUE TO CLOSE CONTACT WITH AN INFECTED PERSON SHALL

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPETITION

In case of symptoms suggestive of acute respiratory illness before, during or after travel,

athletes are encouraged to seek medical attention.

People diagnosed with COVID-19, even asymptomatic, who have not overcome the

disease and who do not have a medical discharge, shall not be allowed to participate in

the competition and must follow the community health protocols.

3.- MATERIAL RESOURCES

The organization shall provide the necessary material resources, taking into account the

recommendations of the health authorities (for example, personal protective equipment

(PPE), masks, gloves, hydroalcoholic gel, etc.).

The organization is only responsible for providing masks and disposable gloves to the

staff members and volunteers, as well as an amount of contingency to meet medical

needs. The rest of the participants and authorized persons must bring their own

equipment.

Participants must bring their health cards and other documents to prove their identity.

They must also know the Protocol of Action established by their health insurance

company.

4.- INFORMATION MEASURES

Publicom Sport Events will inform everybody involved in the event about the prevention

measures established in this Protection Action Plan.

-Signage with the preventive measures implemented and the guidelines to be followed

by each group of users.

-Use of loudspeakers and screens to inform about all the health protection measures

that must be followed.

- Provide the participants with information about the Healthcare Centers in the area,

together with their opening hours and emergency telephone numbers.

-Information through all the platforms of the event (websites, social networks, associated

media).

The organization will urge all the staff members to collaborate to comply with the

measures derived from the Action Plan, and will give them the necessary information

regarding the preventive and hygienic measures and the correct use of the protective

equipment.

External service providers will be informed of the applicable prevention measures that

have been established.

5.- RISK ASSESSMENT

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, a virus that was first

detected in December 2019. The most common symptoms of this disease are: fever,

cough and shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include: fatigue, aches, runny

nose, sore throat, headache, diarrhea or vomiting. Some people lose their sense of smell

and/or taste.

It should be borne in mind that the risk of contagion is a latent possibility.

Participants must know and assume the risk of contagion inherent to sports practice,

even when the organizers take all the necessary measures to prevent it.

In the event that during the competition an organizer identifies someone who is ill or is

suspected of having COVID 19, he/she must:

• EXCLUDE him/her from the competition as soon as possible.

• Ask him/her immediately to wear a face mask, use hydroalcoholic gel and maintain

social distancing.

• Isolate him/her from the other participants and staff. The isolation area must be

equipped with the necessary supplies to comply with the required protection and

hygiene measures.

• Give him/her the telephone number of the Valencian Regional Ministry of Health to

which he/she must call to notify his/her symptomatology and to know the protocol to

be followed.

• We will contact his/her assistants to give them his/her luggage and, if necessary,

he/she will be given a lift to his own vehicle in a vehicle of the organization, fully

equipped and isolated.

The Valencian Community Cycling Federation (FCCV) strongly recommends that each

organizing committee assesses its event using the World Health Organization (WHO) Risk Assessment and Mitigation Checklist for Mass Gatherings in the context of

COVID-19

According to this document developed by WHO, risks are classified into 5 levels:

• Very low risk: There is little or no consequence for the development of the

competition.

• Low risk: It is recommended to check if mitigation measures can be

strengthened.

• Moderate risk: It is recommended to make significant efforts to improve

mitigation measures or reduce risk of transmission.

• High risk: It is recommended to make significant efforts to improve mitigation

measures and reduce risk of transmission. A risk-based decision to postpone or

cancel the event should be considered.

• Very high risk: It causes the cancellation of the event.

After assessing the risks of the Mediterranean Epic, using the WHO assessment tool, the result is that this event falls within the VERY LOW RISK category.

6. ANALYSIS AND SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN EPIC

In this section, we will provide specific information about each process or area of the

Mediterranean Epic.

6.1 PRESS CONFERENCE

The press conference scheduled for the Monday prior to the competition will be held

following the current regulations of using a mask and maintaining social distancing.

All the media and guests who attend the conference must wear a mask at all times, and

must disinfect their hands with the hydroalcoholic gel available at the entrance.

The journalists who conduct interviews must also wear masks, maintain social

distancing, and they are recommended to cover the microphones with plastic bags or

something similar.

6.2 BIB COLLECTION

On Wednesday from 16-21h you will be able to pick up your race bib at the Palau D'Or. In order

to access the bib area it is essential to wear the green COVID FREE wristband, which will be

given to you once you have passed the test at the Palau D'Or or, failing that, on presentation of

the official negative test certificate.

Each rider must collect their own race bib. It will not be possible to pick up the bib of any

teammate or team member, as we must certify that the rider is wearing the green bracelet.

As we have already informed you and as stated in the rules, all participants must first take a

COVID-19 test (rapid antigen test) with a negative result in order to be able to collect their race

bib.

The organisers will provide all registered participants with a large medical team to carry out the

rapid COVID-19 analysis at the Palau D'Or in the Marina D'Or complex. The cost of the analysis

will be borne by the Organisation and will not generate any additional costs for the participants.

It will also be accepted as valid if the rider presents a negative test (PCR or Antigen) certificate

from an authorised laboratory or official centre with a test date of Monday 23rd March or later.

Participants who test positive in the COVID-19 test will not be allowed to start the race and will

not be able to recover their registration fee but will receive a voucher for a free registration in

2022. In these cases, the corresponding health protocol will be activated.

The tests will take place on different days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and time slots. We

will soon send you another email to tell you how to choose your time slot from your rider profile

on the website.

All technical staff and/or riders assistances must also take a COVID test. The cost of the analysis

of 20EUR must be paid to the organisation at the time of the test (payment by credit card is

recommended). In the same way, negative test certificate (PCR or Antigen) with a test date of

Monday 22nd March or later will be accepted as valid.

Each participant will undergo a test for the detection of COVID-19 antigens. If the test is

NEGATIVE, the participant will be eligible for taking part in the competition.

If the participant is POSITIVE, he/she will take a test to detect Ig G and IgM antibody. If

Ig G is positive, he/she will be allowed to participate; and if the result is Ig M positive and

Ig G negative, which is evidence of active infection, the participant will not be allowed to

participate in the competition.

If the result is Ig G and Ig M negative, it will be considered as a false positive result in

the antigen test, and he/she will be allowed to participate.

The COVID-19 tests will consist of nasopharyngeal rapid tests PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag

and Panbio IgG/IgM from Abbott Laboratories, which have proven to be an international

reference.

PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device Result PCR Test Result Positive Negative Total

PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device Result

Positive 128 1 129

Negative 12 444 456

Total 140 445 585

Sensitivity Specificity Total

concordance

percentage

91.4% [85,5%; 95,5%]

99.8% [98,8%; 100%]

97.8% [96,2%; 98,8%]

The health team who will conduct the tests will consist of:

• 1 Administrative Assistant

• 1 Director

• 3 teams composed of a nurse and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or

a nursing assistant (Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning). The number

of teams in charge of conducting the tests will increase on Wednesday afternoon

to 9 teams composed of a nurse and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

and/or a nursing assistant.

All participants will have their temperatures checked upon arrival, and must sanitize their

hands with hydroalcoholic gel to access the testing area.

Participants will give the authorization form, duly completed, which can be downloaded

from the website. If they have not filled out the form, they will do it in situ (the available

languages are Spanish, English, Italian and French).

After filling out the form, they will present it at the Race Management Table, and when

giving their bib number, they will be told which nursing team will conduct their test.

Each health team will conduct an average of 15 tests an hour. The nurse will be the

person responsible for conducting the tests and the Emergency Medical Technician

(EMT) the person responsible for controlling the time to read the test result. Both of them

will check the correct identification of each test (with the bib number and the test reading

time) (see annex to Registration Form).

Participants will go to a waiting area to get the results, where they must keep the safety

distance and wear a mask. They will not be allowed to leave this area until they have

been communicated the test results, approximately 15-20 minutes. This area has a

capacity for a maximum of 15 people.

There will be as many waiting areas as nursing teams conducting tests. Every 10-15

minutes the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) shall communicate the results to the

Race Management Team, and they will verbally communicate the result to each

participant so that he/she can leave the pavilion. Later, each participant will receive an

email with a medical report stating the rapid antigen test result.

In the event of a positive antigen test result, the participant must go to the positive COVID

area, where there will be a team with a nurse and an Emergency Medical Technician

(EMT) to perform the antibody detection test. The result will be available in 10 minutes.

The participants with a negative test result will get a COVID FREE green bracelet and

will be allowed to collect their participation bibs.

If an active infection is confirmed by means of an antibody test Ig M positive and Ig G

negative, the participant will be given a document with the recommendations for home

confinement; in addition, he/she will have to sign an Isolation Declaration Card.

The doctor in charge of COVID patients will communicate the results to the biker and/or

the participant’s Team Manager, and will inform him/ her about the quarantine protocol

and the impossibility of participating in the competition.

The Mediterranenan Epic organization will arrange apartments for positive COVID-19

participants and their close contacts who are confined and are not allowed to participate

in the competition.

All the positive COVID-19 test results shall be daily communicated to Public Health, by

means of the Covid Contact Tracing Survey, which shall be addressed to the following

Public Health emails: gasco_jua@gva.es , epi_cspcastello@gva.es Public Health

telephones: 964 399 607, 964 399 608, 964 399 609.

TESTING SCHEDULE DAY SCHEDULE TESTING TUESDAY 15-20h Organizers + Participants WEDNESDAY 9-14h Organizers + Participants 14-15h 100 bib numbers 15-16h 100 bibs numbers 16-17h 100 bibs numbers 17-18h 100 bibs numbers 18-19h 100 bibs numbers 19-20h 100 bibs numbers 20-21h Incidents

DISTRIBUTION of COVID-19 Testing area into 2 testing sites: Palau d’Or de Marina d’Or:

• Tuesday AFTERNOON 15-20h • Wednesday MORNING 9-14h.

1. Temperature measurement and hands disinfection 2. AUTHORIZATIONS Table 3. RACE MANAGEMENT/ Administration Table 4. Nurse and EMT 4. Nurse and EMT 5. Waiting Area for the Antigen Test Result. Capacity for 15 people. 5. Waiting Area for the Antigen Test Result. Capacity for 15 people. 6. COVID Nurse and EMT who conduct the antibody test.

DISTRIBUTION of COVID-19 Testing Area into 8 testing sites: Palau d’Or de Marina d’Or:

• Wednesday AFTERNOON 14-21h.

1. Temperature measurement and hands disinfection 2. AUTHORIZATIONS Table 2. AUTHORIZATIONS Table 3. RACE MANAGEMENT/ Administration Table 4. Nurse and EMT 4. Nurse and EMT 5. Waiting Area for the Antigen Test Result. Capacity for 15 people. 5. COVID Nurse and EMT who perform the antibody test.

Temperature measurement

Mask

Hydroalcoholic gel

Temperature measurement

Mask

Hydroalcoholic gel

COVID TESTING AREA

1.5 meters 1.5 meters

DESK 1 DESK 2

BIB NUMBERS

During the bib collection process, we will take greater precautions to minimize or

eliminate as much as possible the risk of contagion from COVID-19.

1. The staff who prepares the biker’s envelopes and bags must be duly protected

with a mask, and an intensive disinfection process will be carried out.

2. The time slot for the collection of the bib number shall be extended to reduce

agglomerations.

3. The area to access the Technical Secretariat in the Palau D’Or (Marina D’Or) will

be divided into individual rows, and it will be clearly marked with signs and

checkpoints in order to respect the safety distance. There will be two independent

circuits, one for entering the area and one for leaving it, so that participants do

not come into contact with each other (see the map).

4. Athletes and staff must wear a mask at all times.

5. It it will be mandatory to disinfect your hands with the hydroalcoholic gel available

at the entrance to access the Technical Secretariat.

6. When collecting the bib numbers, all participants will be measured the forehead

temperature with a contactless digital thermometer.

7. The Accreditation Tables will have protection screens, and the staff will be fully

protected wearing the recommended PPE.

8. All athletes will be urged to ask their questions on-line, instead of asking them

when collecting the bib numbers, in order to speed up the process and reduce

the contact time.

Due to the protocol necessary to guarantee all the security measures, the bib

numbers collection will be slower than usual. Participants should bear this in mind to

calculate the arrivals, waiting times, etc.

STAFF/ASSISTANTS ACCREDITATIONS

Due to COVID limitations, each individual rider will be able to accredit 1 assistance person. Elite

teams may accredit a maximum of 5 staff members (1 Team Manager, 2 Team Press, 2

Assistants). All applications for accreditation must be made online beforehand via the race

website. We will shortly send you the link to do so and more information about it.

In order to be accredited as an assistant it is necessary to have an official Assistance/Mechanic

Licence issued by your national Cycling Federation/UCI, which will be requested to collect the

accreditation. In case of doubt, please contact your national cycling federation.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANYONE (riders or accompanying persons) be allowed

access to any competition area (including the official hotel Gran Duque) without the green

COVID FREE wristband offered by the Organization after carrying out a negative test or

validating the negative certificate provided.

6.3 START AREA

An Access control will be established to check that all participants are wearing a mask,

to ask them to measure their temperature.

There will be wave starts, with a maximum of 150 participants per wave, separated by a

period of time of approximately 5-10 minutes (it has not been specified yet).

Participants will wear a mask at all times until 30 seconds before the start of the race (it

will be announced by loudspeaker); then, they will be allowed to take it off and store it.

STAGES STARTS

The start protocol for this year is as follows

Thursday – Time Trial

The start will begin at 09:00:00 from the Torre del Rey venue.

The teams-of-two will start and will take the starts 2 by 2 every 30 seconds.

Followed by Master Women, Master Men 50-40-30 who will take the starts 1 by 1 every 20

seconds.

We will finish with Elite Women and Elite Men who will take the start 1 by 1 every 30 seconds.

In the case of elite riders, the order will be that established by the UCI according to the official

ranking in reverse order. Riders with the best ranking will start last.

There will be a temperature control area and a call for riders to start immediately next to the

“Torre del Rey”. In this stage, and in order to exceed the capacity allowed in the same place,

riders will not enter the call and temperature control area until 10 minutes before their start time.

They will be able to warm up by riding in the surrounding area, always with the utmost respect

for traffic regulations.

If a rider arrives late for his start, he will start when it is possible at the discretion of the start

commissaire , but the time he will be given for the start will be his actual time.

Friday - Castellón

Riders must arrive at the start in Castellón (Centro Deportivo Chencho) located 25 km from

Marina D'Or by their own means.

The start will take place in the following order

Start 1 Elite Men

Start 2 Elite Women

Start 3 Master riders (regardless of category and sex) according to the general classification.

Start 4 Master riders (independent of category and sex) according to general classification.

Start 5. Master riders (independent of category and gender) according to general classification +

Couples

For Covid protocol and not to accumulate more than 150 people in the same place, the boxes will

be organised in different locations. All the riders will enter the start from Box 3 (temperature),

they will move on to Box 2 - 2nd start, and then to Box 1 - Immediate start. The riders will advance

by 1 box as the starts are given respectively.

BOX 1 Start, Main football field.

BOX 2 Adjoining football pitch

BOX 3 Parking area

Important: Riders will be called in order and will be placed in the boxes. Riders who do not have

an immediate start (starts 3-4-5) will not be allowed to wait in the area of boxes 1-2-3 as we would

exceed the maximum capacity of 150 people with the participants of those starts. They will have

to warm up outside these areas or remain in their cars until their actual start time approaches.

All this will be explained in more detail and with maps in the rider’s guide that will be published

soon.

Saturday and Sunday the same procedure will be repeated, but at the Playa de la Concha in

Oropesa del Mar.

6.6. FEED ZONES ON THE COURSE

Those of you who have already participated in the Mediterranean Epic know very well that we

love to offer you a great amount of food you at the feed zones, both in the race and especially at

the finish line.

Unfortunately, this year this will not be the case, as the most critical and crowded points are

precisely the feed zones.

For this reason, in the race the Feed Zones will be less abundant than usual to cover basic needs,

and it is advisable not to stop unless it is strictly necessary.

If you do stop, you should wear a mask for the entire time you are there.

In general these will have an assortment of 2 varieties of fruit (banana and orange), closed bags

with a variety of nuts, pitted dates, Gold Nutrition gels and bars (which will be marked with the

rider's bib number). Drinks: Water, Coca-Cola and Gold Nutrition isotonic drink.

Riders will not be allowed to handle the goods and will have to indicate to the volunteers the

products they want and they will offer them to them on a tray.

A safe distance will always be maintained between riders.

Non accredited people will not be allowed to access the technical assistance/ feed zone.

6.7 FINISH AREA

Due to the capacity limit set by Covid, this year the finish line will not be able to have the great

atmosphere that we like so much. The rider will have a maximum of 15 minutes after arrival to

leave the finish area. Just enough time to rest for a few minutes, drink the recovery drink and pick

up their picnic bag. It will not be possible to eat the contents of the picnic inside the finish area.

You will only be allowed to drink the recovery drink.

Once you enter the Finish Area, you must wear a mask at all times.

Only those wearing a COVID FREE green bracelet will be allowed to access the Finish

Area.

6.8 PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONIES

There will be a short prize-giving ceremony in which the first 3 classified of each category

will receive a trophy.

All the attendees and winners must wear a mask at all times, and must disinfect their

hands before getting to the podium.

In the podium there will be a distance of 1.5 meters between each box.

The authorities attending the ceremony shall not touch the trophies. They shall be

present only to appear in the photos taken by the media.

Everyone attending the ceremony must wear a mask at all times, except for the moment

of the photo, but they must put it on again immediately after it.

6.9 VEHICLES OF THE ORGANIZATION

Only those authorized by the organization, commissaires, doctor, etc. will travel in the

vehicles of the organization. Everyone must wear a mask in the vehicle and sanitize

his/her hands with hydroalcoholic gel before getting into the car.

6.10 LOGISTICS AND INSTALLATION WORK

All competition’s suppliers must follow the health regulations applicable at the time of

doing their assembly work.

All external staff shall also measure their temperature daily and use a mask when

performing their duties.

Working materials and tools will be daily disinfected.

7.- PROTOCOL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL TEAM

This Measures Plan has been developed and agreed by the team who organizes the

Mediterranean Epic in collaboration with SERSAN, provider of the competition’s health

care services. The people responsible for developing and implementing the measures

are:

HECTOR DE LA CAGIGA,

RACE DIRECTOR, PUBLICOM SPORT EVENTS.

JOSE BELTRÁN,

COMPETITION CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER

VICENTE SÁNCHEZ,

HEALTH COORDINATOR

MEDICAL EMERGENCY SERVICE OF CASTELLÓN SL (SERSAN),

TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER B12633244