Lyon (AFP)

Popular but "polluting", the Tour de France?

The word launched by Grégory Doucet, the new ecological mayor of Lyon, was debated but testifies to a question that animates the peloton, which arrived Saturday in the capital of the Gauls.

At the crossroads of these two adjectives passes the advertising caravan, exhausted by the elected Lyonnais.

"All the small objects, the goodies, the things that are thrown by the caravan must now be rethought to be durable or not to be thrown at all", judged the councilor in the columns of the regional daily Le Progrès.

Brands, sensitive to the recurring controversy, are trying to improve their image.

The column "against plastic pollution of the Tour de France", published last year by the deputy François-Michel Lambert, ex-Europe Ecologie les Verts (EELV) and today attached to the Freedom and Territories group in the Assembly, moved a few lines.

And, ironically, the chosen one found himself supporting the Tour this week against his former comrades.

- "History is on the move" -

Leclerc, the main company in the Covid version caravan (11 of the 100 vehicles), has opted for 100% recyclable packaging for the samples - especially food - distributed.

Cochonou encourages people to bring their packaging back to the supermarket, by offering a € 1 reduction voucher, in exchange for showing an empty bag.

Progress has also been made on the issue of the carbon footprint, highlighted by the mayor of Lyon: four of Leclerc's vehicles in the caravan are hybrids and Enedis uses three electric cars.

"History is on the move, we are doing tests. It will evolve," says ASO's communications director, Philippe Sudres.

The tests this year are electric racing vehicles, tested over three stages.

A first experiment has already taken place on the 5th with several red cars, including the N.1 of Christian Prudhomme, the race director, without a heat engine.

Others must take place on the last two.

Today, these 27 cars are hybrids but only represent a drop of water among all the vehicles taking part in the Great Loop, between those of the teams, partners and the media.

Usually, it is the latter which account for the largest share of vehicles, a "big third" according to Philippe Sudres.

The health context means that the device is very small this year, France Télévisions has given up on itinerant sets such as Eurosport.

Which subtracts a certain number of trucks.

- Increased fines -

"The change, I do not see it yet. Clearly, we have progress to make," nevertheless judges Jean-Christophe Péraud, 2nd in the 2014 Tour. "In the teaching vis-à-vis athletes too, points out- it. I've been in this situation and I haven't always been perfect. "

The runners are also concerned by the ecological question.

The collection areas, where they can unload their waste during the race, have been doubled this year.

There are six per stage, for a total of 126 on the Tour.

In the absence of scrupulous respect for these, the UCI commissaires increased from Thursday the fine from 200 to 500 Swiss francs (from 186 to 464 euros) for those who emptied their pockets elsewhere.

Frenchman Romain Sicard was the first to pay the price on Friday.

And on a motorbike, behind the peloton on Saturday, packaging flew flush with the road, not always at the locations of the collection areas.

"There will inevitably be a few individuals who, in full swing, will not think of having the right gesture", estimates the young retiree of the peloton Sylvain Chavanel, who played his 18th and last Big Loop two years ago.

"My first Tour de France was in 2001, it has evolved since. The mentality in general, not only of the riders. The new generation is educated in this direction, is sensitive to that", assures the triple winner of stages on the Tour .

"It's part of the customs, confirms sprinter Bryan Coquard. In the mentality of the peloton as in society. It's progressing. Some would like it to progress faster. But there are things that have been done."

© 2020 AFP