- The Tour de France, which was originally scheduled to start on June 27, will finally take place from August 29 to September 20 due to the coronavirus epidemic.
- The cities affected by the departures and arrivals of the stages will have to adapt.
- Mayors, if they know that the atmosphere and the benefits will not be the same at the start of the school year as in summer, are happy that the race still takes place.
All the benchmarks that are shattering. Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France, made this point on Wednesday when announcing the new dates for the race: the Grande Boucle will never have left so late in the season. In fact, see the caravan set off at the end of August when we will be choosing the school bag for the youngest and chaining the arrival on the Champs and the first round of Richard Gasqet at Roland-Garros the next day while the days are seriously starting to shorten, it's something to ski in July the following summer.
It's going to be weird to everyone, but obviously, the sports fan will recover from these little torments, insignificant in the face of the severity of the coronavirus pandemic. At least, the Tour will take place, unlike hundreds of other events. This is what is retained, overall, by the mayors of the stage cities concerned by this 107th edition. Christian Prudhomme called them all in person on Tuesday to tell them the news.
"The spirit of the Tour will be the same", believes its director Christian Prudhomme via @ 20minutesSport https://t.co/BfSHfAtOIi
- 20 Minutes Sport (@ 20minutesSport) April 15, 2020"It is a good thing that the Tour is preserved," breathes Michel Galmiche, who heads the town of Plancher-les-Mines, the scene of the finale of a time trial that promises to be grandiose at the top of the Board of Beautiful Girls, the day before arrival. These are truly exceptional circumstances, so we have to adapt. We will do it with a good heart. This legendary race will take place, with the public, the essential is there. "
In terms of adaptation, the Haut-Saônile councilor does not make too many chickens. The force of habit, surely. It will be the fifth time that it has hosted the Tour since 2012. "It has always gone very well," he notes with a smile. Everyone will be operational in September, there is no problem. His counterpart from Châtel-Guyon (Auvergne), where the 13th stage will start on September 11, is not worried either. There were no specific road improvements to plan, and logistical issue, ASO takes care of everything. Only, all the activities around this event are to be redefined.
"It won't make up for everything, but it will be a breath of fresh air"
It is the first time that this municipality of just over 6,000 inhabitants marks the starting point for a stage. Inevitably, many things had been imagined to rise to this "event of the century", as Frédéric Bonnichon, voluntarily exalted, describes it.
We were planning to ramp up over the previous two-three months, involving traders, schools, etc., he explains. All that, we could no longer organize. We will try to put things back in place from mid-July. It is hoped that this will mark the renaissance of tourism in the region. Everyone will want to participate in this, anyway. "
With the inauguration, initially planned for mid-April and postponed during the month of July, the town's renowned thermal baths, transformed into a brand new health complex, this period is eagerly awaited. "These two meetings can allow tourism professionals to have a successful fall season," hopes the mayor. It won't make up for everything, but it will be a breath of fresh air anyway. "
"The atmosphere will not be quite the same"
At La Tour du Pin too, we had seen big things. And for good reason, the start city of the 16th stage, which will take the runners to Villard-de-Lans, had the honor of hosting the Tour on a very special date: July 14, National Day. The sun, the many foreigners on vacation in the area, blue-white-red everywhere ... Fabien Rajon already saw himself there. Naturally, on September 15, during the week, the atmosphere will not be quite the same. The mayor, if he is delighted that the race is maintained, does not hide a touch of disappointment.
"We wanted to capitalize on this date of July 14 to organize a lot of things," he says. The situation changes very widely. It will be the Tour de France, but the whole atmosphere, the extras, which still represent things that are not incidental, will be different. Back to school will have started, and the coronavirus crisis may still be going on, or at least in people's minds. The country will still be recovering. "
"The Tour de France must take place at all costs, no matter when" https://t.co/opAKHN0CYL
- 20 Minutes (@ 20Minutes) April 14, 2020The economic benefits will be less, too. For everyone. "Being a departure city costs 60,000 euros, but as normal it is very profitable because for 1 euro invested, 6 to 8 return to the city (traders, hotels, etc.)," says Fabien Rajon. There, we do not know what it will give. Despite these hazards, optimism prevails. “Perhaps the coming of the Tour in mid-September will be the first milestone of a return to normal life, the first festive, popular, free event, where people can get together and which will bring us out of this difficult period. "
A speech that accompanies that of the boss of the race. "The postponement of the Tour will not prevent its popular success", (r) assures Christian Prudhomme. “This is good news in a context where there are not many, observes the Auvergnat Frédéric Bonnichon. This is positive information, which recreates a perspective of smiles and shared joy. Either way, everyone agrees. The Tour is better in July, when you can go have a little aperitif-pétanque once the runners arrive. But right now, everything is good to take.
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