It was in the summer of 2017 that the controversy broke out: is it a sexist practice to kiss the winner of a Tour stage on the finish podium? Three years later, and in a health context where the protocol for the finish podium will be reduced to the strict minimum, the organizers of the Grande Boucle announced, without going into detail, the end of the “100% miss” podiums.
“You used to see the champion surrounded by two hostesses, with five elected on one side and five representatives of the partners on the other. There, it will be different with a single elected official and a single representative of the partner of the yellow jersey, as well as a hostess and a host for the first time ”, slipped Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour.
3,000 people
“Yes, it's new but we have already been doing it in other races for 20 years, like in Liège-Bastogne-Liège,” he added only. Formula 1 gave up its “grid girls” two years ago, these young women chosen for their plastic, who indicate the location of the single-seaters.
Finally, only 3,000 people (runners, partners, publicity caravan, organizers) are expected to do the Grande Boucle, against 5,000 in normal times, according to ASO estimates. The commentators of certain channels, in particular those of France Télévisions, will remain in Paris.
The Tour de France is broadcast live in around 60 countries, according to ASO. The Critérium du Dauphiné which ended on August 16 served as a great rehearsal for the organizer ASO.
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