Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme called on roadside spectators to wear a mask during the Grande Boucle (August 29-September 20), a matter of "common sense" in the face of the increase in coronavirus cases .
“For the spectators, on the road, there is clearly no question to ask. I love cycling, I love the Tour, common sense indicates that you have to wear a mask, even if the formal obligation to do so depends on the prefects of the 32 departments crossed ”, launched Mr. Prudhomme during a press conference on Wednesday in Nice, from where the Tour will start on August 29.
On the last Critérium du Dauphiné, organized like the Tour de France by Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) and which crossed five departments, four prefects out of five had already taken such a step. Because if the organizers have the possibility of controlling the wearing of the mask and the respect of the barrier gestures at departures and arrivals, the operation is more complex on the road and does not depend on them.
During the various cycling events of the summer, the riders have regularly expressed their concerns on the subject. "People do not realize that when they come to shout at 40 centimeters to encourage us, there is a risk", estimated for example a few days ago Julien Bernard (Trek) on the Route d'Occitanie. The dark scenario for the organizers would be that a case of Covid-19 is detected in the peloton.
The end of the "misses"
On Wednesday, in the presence of the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, the organization of one of the major sporting events, already postponed due to the epidemic, therefore unveiled a battery of precautionary measures for the journey through France. The presentation of the teams, on August 27, will be in the presence of a maximum of 1,750 people seated, a figure that may be revised downwards depending on the evolution of the health crisis. A Covid cell of 15 people will be on deck, in conjunction with the Regional Health Agencies (ARS). A mobile screening laboratory will be present throughout the Tour, “with results known within two hours maximum”.
The runners will in particular be subjected to two tests before the start as well as each day of rest. “Bubbles” will be put in place, for example for the teams and their management, to avoid contact with outsiders as much as possible. The protocol of the finish podium will be reduced to the strict minimum. Incidentally, the organizers announced, without expanding, the end of the podiums "100% miss", a practice criticized and considered sexist.
“You used to see the champion surrounded by two hostesses, with five elected on one side and five representatives of the partners on the other. There, it will be different with a single elected representative and a single representative of the partner of the yellow jersey, as well as a hostess and a host for the first time ”, slipped Christian Prudhomme.
3,000 people
“Yes, it's new but we have already been doing it in other races for 20 years, like in Liège-Bastogne-Liège,” he added only. Formula 1 gave up its “grid girls” two years ago, these young women chosen for their plastic, who indicate the location of the single-seaters. Finally, only 3,000 people (runners, partners, publicity caravan, organizers) are expected to do the Grande Boucle, against 5,000 in normal times, according to ASO estimates. The commentators of certain channels, in particular those of France Télévisions, will remain in Paris.
The Tour de France is broadcast live in around 60 countries, according to ASO. The Critérium du Dauphiné which ended on August 16 served as a great rehearsal for the organizer ASO. Access to the team bus parking lots was thus forbidden to the media and limited to only members of the bubble which includes runners, management and some officials and members of the organization. For the public, the instructions were reflected in particular by the absence of selfies and autographs, usual in cycling races, and access restrictions at the start and finish of stages.
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