Go kids !!!

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SIPA

  • The health protocol put in place allows around 5,000 spectators to be on the great passes of the Tour de France.

  •  But it's not really practical and you have to arm yourself with courage to be.

    We explain why. 

Who says first weekend says first big mountain stages.

And even if this year the Tour de France is so mountainous that we will have had by then the arrival at Mont Aigoual Thursday afternoon, the appointment is made for Saturday in the Pyrenees, with the Port- de-Balès Peyresourde where the favorites promise each other an explanation at high altitude.

For what is usually the coolest moment of the Tour: runners at their ends in the middle of a sea of ​​excited spectators that opens just as they pass.

Very long protocol

This will obviously not be the case this year, we got used to the idea for a while now.

But given the maximum number of 5,000 people allowed on “high interest sections of the route”, nothing prevents you from going for a walk this weekend, for example.

Even if we're not exactly sure it's worth it.

Protocol question, first.

The Hautes-Pyrénées prefecture has given in a long form like the arms of Rudy Gobert the rules to follow to access the Pyrenean passes.

In addition to wearing a mask which is compulsory for all people over 11 and traditional barrier gestures, she mentions access authorizations, traffic issues and parking vehicles, etc.

The 107th edition of # TDF2020 will take place from 29/08 to 30/09 🚵‍♂️and will stop in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on Sunday 6/09/20.



In a particular context, special measures!



⚠️ The prefect makes it compulsory to wear a mask 😷 during the Pau-Laruns stage https://t.co/d7dVkIyaOd pic.twitter.com/rTmaqv7ASZ

- Prefect of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (@ Prefet64) September 1, 2020

To summarize in a few lines, we took the example of Port-de-Balès, the first non-category pass of this Tour, which the peloton will climb on Saturday on its way to Loudenvielle.

  • Only pedestrians and cyclists are allowed to climb the pass

  • Other spectators will be able to board a special nine-seater shuttle departing from Bagnères-de-Luchon

  • Vehicles are prohibited from driving on the entire route from 8 a.m. on the slopes and at the top of the pass from 24 hours before, and from parking there from a week before.

    Car parks are provided at the bottom of the pass for those who wish to go up by bike or on foot

"You have to plan the day to come, and it's very complicated"

The same goes for Peyresourde, La Hourcère and Marie Blanque in the Pyrenees.

The Gard prefecture adds a limit of 10 people per group and 4m² per person in the giant screen areas for its arrival at Mont Aigoual on Thursday.

In short, it must be earned.

Rémi, who has decided to take advantage of weeks of late holidays to follow the first stages of the Tour on site, said:

“From the third category passes, accessibility is really restricted, everything is very restrictive.

Only pedestrians or cyclists go up.

To give an idea, in Orcières on Tuesday the road to the final ascent was closed from 1 p.m., i.e. 4:30 a.m. before the runners passed.

We got stuck and had to find a parallel road.

Usually I park at the base of the ascent and ride my bike.

Then, to start again, you have to wait at least 1h30 after the arrival of the stage to descend.

Clearly, you have to plan the day to come, and it's very complicated.

"

The bazaar to access Mont Aigoual (we don't understand anything either) - Screenshot

The obligation to ride a bicycle or on foot already seems prohibitive for families.

And if the return to school and open spaces is undoubtedly there for a lot, Rémi admits seeing since the start of the Tour "only an audience of sportsmen, connoisseurs who love cycling".

This is the other problem.

Being on the Tour this year is not exactly living the Tour de France experience.

"There is no popular party"

"It's more gloomy, sadder," confirms Rémi.

This Tour has the merit of existing, but that has nothing to do with usual.

In the heights of Nice, there were not many people, in the Turini either… There is no popular festival, we do not have these images of frenzy and chills as the runners pass.

We don't have a foreign audience either, there are fewer Dutch and British who are often 50% of the followers… ”

We can also mention the Spaniards, who generally set the Pyrenean stages ablaze.

A priori, they will be very few to cross the border this weekend.

In short, not enough to live a moment of history.

And yet, when asked if he would still advise a few brave people to come this weekend or the next on the roads of the Tour, he falters.

“The weather has been good since Sunday, the caravan is still quite full and the biggest advantage is that there is more room to find the best place to land.

You just need to be well organized ”.

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