We have been keeping matters under close review and it has now been decided that the best course of action is to halt preparations and look to 2020 when the Hammer Series and the world’s top professional cyclists will return to the streets of Hong Kong.

Today’s announcement means that Team Jumbo-Visma will be crowned overall Hammer Series Champions of 2019. The Dutch team tops the leaderboard after winning Hammer Stavanger and taking second place overall in Hammer Limburg. Deceuninck - Quick-Step finishes second after their victory in Hammer Limburg, while Team Sunweb ends this year’s Hammer Series in third place overall.

Merijn Zeeman, Team Jumbo-Visma sportive director, said: "It’s a pity Hammer Hong Kong is cancelled, but we’re very happy we will be crowned as overall winners. The Hammer Series came to life for our team more and more in recent years. It’s good to see that it was the same for other teams. We always emphasize ‘winning together’ and winning the Hammer Series is the perfect example."

Graham Bartlett, Velon CEO, said: “We're sorry that the fans won’t get to see the best teams in the world go all-out for overall victory in the Hammer Series in Hong Kong again this year. However, Team Jumbo-Visma were the standout team of this year's Series and they deserve the title. We are already in the middle of planning next year’s Hammer Series and we look forward to being back in Hong Kong for the big Hammer Series finale in 2020”.

Velon and the participating teams are disappointed about the situation but are eager to come back and take on Hammer Hong Kong next year to give the fans the spectacular season finale to the Hammer Series that they deserve.