Paris: The Tour de France will take place August 29 to September 20, organisers announced on Wednesday. Cycling’s flagship event was originally slated to start June 27. However, it has been postponed due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
The new dates follow French President Emmanuel Macron’s extension of a ban on large public gatherings until mid-July.
Relief for cycling teams
The news comes as a relief to professional cycling teams and fans. However, it also moves the three-week race out of its traditional slot in the summer holidays which attract huge crowds for the event. Every year, around 12 million people turn up to watch Tour de France.
“The president is his address Monday evening, has banned large-scale events in France until mid-July. This is a part of the fight against the spread of COVID-19. So the organisers of Tour de France, in agreement with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), have decided to postpone the Tour de France. The new dates for the event are Saturday 29th August to Sunday 20th September 2020,” the organisers said.
They added that the race would follow the same route as the original itinertary, starting in Nice and ending in Paris.
Many problems solved
The new date solves a series of problems. The organisers were facing the reality that the race would never take place on original dates.
There will be a lot of advantages also. Top cycling teams will survive economically. Social distancing will be easier without massive crowds. The 4,500 strong Tour de France rolling caravan can be more easily put up in hotels outside August.
Huge earnings
Elite cycling will breathe a huge sigh of relief as the Tour accounts for most of its earnings. “The Tour represents around 60 percent of earnings in a season,” French team AG2R boss Vincent Lavenu said last week.
The Tour will also provide a daily fix for deprived sports addicts the world over. Now millions of armchair fans will be able to tune in daily, including those still working from home.
Organisers Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) had stubbornly refused to cancel the event. While the new date is later than expected, it now gives them time to stage the warm – Criterium du Dauphine. This is held annually ahead of the Tour but was postponed this year due to coronavirus.
France has been under lockdown since March 17 in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. It has claimed the lives of over 15,700 people in the country.
AFP