In their remarks, it is about the "sometimes desperate" situation of the French peloton, because of the context linked to the Covid-19 epidemic.
"Professional cycling is in danger," say in an open letter to Emmanuel Macron the LNC, the French Cycling Federation, the National Union of Professional Cyclists or the Association of Professional Teams.
"It is high time that the government and its regional representatives take into consideration the worrying vulnerability of French professional cycling" and take measures, ask these organizations in their letter to the President of the Republic.
"Serious distortions" between countries
They denounce in particular "a sudden stop of professional competitions in France", like Paris-Roubaix, postponed to the fall, or the Four Days of Dunkirk, scheduled from May 4 to 9 and canceled after the unfavorable opinion of the prefect of the North, while other European countries have maintained their races.
This difference creates “serious distortions” which are “prejudicial to the French organizers, teams and riders”.
Consequently, "our seven teams of second and third divisions are almost unemployed or forced to emigrate outside Europe to try to remain competitive", points out the open letter.
Its signatories are calling for cycling to be classified "among the disciplines and clubs permanently exposed to the pandemic", in order to benefit from specific support from the State.
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Emmanuel Macron
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