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Chris Froome doubtful Tour de France organisers can prevent crowds of fans (+ video)

Four-time champion reveals concerns in interview with ex-England cricketer Keven Pietersen

Chris Froome says he is doubtful whether the organisers of the Tour de France will be able to stop crowds from gathering at the race, with the postponed event due to start three days before mass gatherings will be permitted in the country. 

Speaking in an Instagram chat with ex-England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, four-time yellow jersey winner Froome said: “Would the organisers be able to keep people from coming and gathering in large crowds? In theory we can put on the race and it can be broadcast on television.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) on

“You're not going to get the same scenes as you would get going through these tunnels of just people everywhere and all the rest of it.

"Maybe that's the version of the race we need to see this year,” the Team Ineos rider added. “I don't know."

> Chris Froome says people writing him off could work to his favour at Tour de France

The start of the three-week race, originally due take place in Nice on 27 June, has been put back to 29 August due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While organisers ASO have repeatedly said they do not plan on holding the event behind ‘closed doors’ they may be left with no choice due to the way in which the country emerges from lockdown.

Under proposals outlined by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe last week, no team sports will be allowed until 1 September, and no gatherings of more than 10 persons in public or private until the same date. Afterwards, gatherings of up to 5,000 people will be permitted.

> Confusion over how plans to exit lockdown may affect Tour de France

France’s sports minister, Roxana Mărăcineanu, subsequently said that while further postponing or even cancelling the race was not currently under consideration, “adjustments” might have to be made – a possible reference to the security measures at Paris-Nice in March where fans were excluded from the start and finish areas.

“A certain number of qualifying competitions must be able to take place, probably in August since in July this will not be possible,” she said.

“They must be able to ride in a peloton by then. This is not the case at the moment.

“Social distancing measures imposed on the rest of society also applies to cyclists.

“There are all these uncertainties to be lifted, which are due to the progression of the pandemic in society.

“It is too early to say. The current doctrine does not impose its postponement, its cancellation or its holding,” she added.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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Secret_squirrel | 3 years ago
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Do ASO live in some sort of alternate reality?   This bullheaded insistence on a randomly chosen date in August when we can't even predict when/if the next  wave of Coronavirus will hit.   

How on earth did ASO/TdF get an exception from the 1st Sept block on team sports?  How on earth is the TdF not a team sport?

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PRSboy replied to Secret_squirrel | 3 years ago
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Presumably some sort of distancing between riders and crowds will have to be enforced... simple enough at start and finish, but along the whole route?

Not to mention, 160 or so riders moving close together in a peloton, teams dining together, shared rooms etc.

In the end, whats the point.  Can you imagine a climb like Alpe DHuez with no crowds along the road?  Its the whole spectacle that makes the TdF what it is.

Better to do a 'Wimbledon' or F1 and decide it is just not going to happen, and deal with it.

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Awavey replied to PRSboy | 3 years ago
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I think F1 are just as busy ignoring the inevitable & obvious conclusion they need to make about racing this year, and are talking about creating these secure bio spheres at race circuits and 48hr continuous testing of all track personnel, largely for the same reasons the ASO have to pretend the TdF is still feasible to run though at least F1 can lock the fans outside.

But the costs & financial penalties for not running these events are utterly ruinous to them,so they'll keep kicking the can down the road, coming up with increasingly wild and wacky ideas to support them running these things hoping things eventually ease just enough under lockdown measures they can squeeze a championship or 3 week GT in and they'll keep doing that till the date passes or the door is firmly closed by some government body or sport federation for them.

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