Tour de France: "Will you take a little gel?"
Audio 01:08
Distribution of hydro-alcoholic gel at the finish of the 5th stage of the Tour de France 2020, in Privas.
RFI / Thomas De Saint-Leger
Text by: Thomas-Sean de Saint Leger Follow
4 min
It's not a scoop: the Tour de France 2020 is a special edition, in a tense pandemic context.
Runners, audiences, followers, all those involved in the Grande Boucle are subject to significant restrictions.
Prevention operations are also set up by the organization, such as the distribution of masks and gel, thanks to specialized brigades.
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From our special correspondent in Privas,
"
Respect the barrier gestures
", "
Don't forget to wear your mask
".
On the finish line of the stages, between two advertising messages and a point on the race, the official speakers of the Tour de France are there to remind everyone: this year, to make the party one of them, there are precautions to take.
Funny time, and funny team that the one made up of Romain and his three young friends.
Cartridge on their backs, pistol in hand, the “Ghostbusters”, as they are nicknamed, or the anti-Covid brigadiers, to be more official, spray hundreds of hands with hydro-alcoholic gel, over hundreds of meters, and even a little more: “
We navigate the entire finish area, depending on the presence of the public.
On the first stages, we walked between 10 to 13km, with 12-kilo bags on our backs, it's sport!
», Specifies Romain, originally from Saint-Amand Montrond, the town of Julian Alaphilippe.
The anti-Covid team, first on the finish line in Privas.
RFI / Thomas De Saint-Leger
A well accepted initiative
"
Ladies and gentlemen, a little hand gel?"
"This proposal, the anti-Covid brigadiers, paid by a service provider chosen by the organization, make it a good hundred times a day, and it is rather very well received:"
Given the context, it is normal and reassuring
, testifies a spectator,
that allows us not to forget that even in the moments of celebration, the danger is present
”.
As Romain and his team pass by, their hands are naturally stretched out: "
Barrier gestures have become a habit
," notes the young man,
there are some reluctant, but they do not represent more than 5/10% of people. we cross paths, and with them, we do not insist, we are only there to do prevention
”.
To the chagrin of those who would prefer to receive, "
beer
", or "
Ricard
".
It was hot, it is true, in Privas.
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Tour de France 2020
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