The National Cycling League (LNC) has just made public a letter sent on April 21 to the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, in which it tells him "of the deepest concerns in the face of the difficult, sometimes desperate situation" suffered by French cycling in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.
“By order of the prefectures, we have been facing a sudden end to professional competitions in France since mid-March and the arrival of Paris-Nice, while, at the same time, our European neighbors have not renounced the principle the continuity of professional sport, thus creating serious distortions both sporting and financial detrimental to the organizers, teams and runners of our country ”, deplores the LNC.
🚨🚨 ALERT 🚨🚨
Open letter to the President of the Republic, @EmmanuelMacron, concerning the worrying situation of the cycling calendar 🇫🇷
Organizers, teams and riders together with the @LNC_CYCLISME call on the sudden end of cycling competitions in 🇫🇷 pic.twitter .com / VO4oGi6Y3e
- LNC (@LNC_CYCLISME) April 27, 2021
In April, the Sarthe and Pays de la Loire circuit and two new races, the Grand Besançon-Doubs Classic and the Tour du Jura were canceled. As for the Four Days of Dunkirk, they disappeared from the May calendar. All the competitions have not been stopped since two rounds of the Coupe de France took place on the scheduled dates: Cholet-Pays de Loire, on March 28, and the Roue Tourangelle, on April 4. The Breton levees, the Tro Bro Leon and the Tour du Finistère, have been postponed to May 16 and 22.
"What motivated this initiative is the fact that races such as the Four Days of Dunkirk end up at a standstill and potentially others with them," explains Marc Madiot, deputy vice-president of the LNC.
Concern is growing among the organizers.
For the teams, it is not easy either, especially for those of 2nd and 3rd divisions.
"The League points to the danger which awaits the seven French professional teams of 2nd and 3rd divisions which" are almost unemployed or forced to emigrate outside Europe to try to remain competitive ".
"Behind the pros, the industry is in decline"
“In the case of the Four Days of Dunkirk, continues Marc Madiot, the Ministry of Sports motivated everyone, so that professional sport is in a position to organize the competitions and then, at the last minute, the prefect oppose it!
The organizers have committed money and as they are under an associative regime, they do not benefit from any state aid
(Editor's note: to companies)
and their finances are even more affected.
"
The major events of the professional calendar are more or less spared, such as Paris-Roubaix, postponed from April 11 to November 3.
“We tend to focus on ASO, the Tour de France… adds Madiot.
However, Roubaix will always exist.
Small organizers, them, not necessarily.
"
The manager of Groupama-FDJ is worried about the fundamentals of his sport: “Already, we must allow us to organize competitions. Then, among other things, we should help us reduce the costs of the police and gendarmerie linked to cycle races, which are constantly increasing. Between the various confinements and postponements, the riders of our Conti team
(Editor's note: Continental, 3rd professional division)
have not had a job for a year and a half. And behind the pros, the industry is in decline. What happens to young people? Who will take over licenses? At the moment, kids have nothing. We are worried about the sustainability of our sport. "