Just about every other major sporting event planned for this summer has either been cancelled or postponed, except for the Tour de France. Showing classic French stubbornness, the ASO has not ruled out a Grand Boucle this year, suggesting at one point that it could be held without roadside fans (good luck) or that it might be postponed for a month, presumably starting at the end of July.
We are very interested in this because whatever decision is made will affect one of our biggest tours of the year, our support package for the Etape du Tour. We are nearly certain that this event will not run as scheduled, since it’s the beginning of July, but we are also equally sure that postponing an event that sees 15,000+ riders from all over the world cannot simply be pushed off a month. Our hope (other than the two events running as scheduled) is that both will simply be postponed till 2021, keeping the course as is.
Any thoughts on this? In one way I sort of like the attitude of ASO right now because it gives us a glimmer of hope that we’ll have a summer after all.
I’ll leave you with a few photos from our Etape tours from years gone by, hopefully to brighten your day.
The Vicious Cycle 
2021
We should probably put some money down on this 😉 Who’s will to give odds?
I never gamble Gerry, it’s a mugs game!
I agree with you, I hope it is postponed and that they keep the route and dates the same (that way Nice gets to host the start as planned). This is effectively what the Olympics is doing. If they postpone, there is still no way all the highly contagious virus cases will be gone this year…
Right, they are really stalling for time for no reason, it seems. By the way, how was the HR Zwift thing?
I’m encouraged by China coming out of it after 11 weeks but they also had draconian measures in place. I’m also encouraged by the numbers in some of the countries with Swiss, Austria, Germany 30-35% recovered. Fingers crossed for an August start otherwise 2021 with same route. Let’s see where we are at in 4-6 weeks. In the meantime don’t let a lull fool you into complacency.
I hope you’re right about that lull, Luc! I saw that Austria is actually going to come out of their hibernation in a week or so. They got in early and nipped it in the bud, I guess. France definitely didn’t get ahead of the curve!
I think its premature to cancel but a definite possibility of being rescheduled at the least. The repercussions for some teams to financially survive till next year is not likely as Sponsors are reorganizing their finances on a lost year. Personally, I’m being optimistic that this will be over in the next couple of months. Crossing my fingers anyways.
I’m trying to remain optimistic, too, but it’s all dire shit on the news in France right now. The total lockdown doesn’t help either, especially when I see guys like you riding outside!
Not to brag but my ability to ride outdoors at this time does not compare to the months i am stuck indoors while you and John are enjoying some of my favourite routes. I feel for you Brother!
I know. I am more impressed with you guys now, especially Rob, who seems to be riding inside 10 months of the year.
Nope. Just can’t see it happening this year unless they move it until AFTER the Vuelta and take a punt on the weather. Vuelta August 14-September 6 and they won’t want both running at the same time (if indeed Spain is clear by August, which is also looking doubtful).
The closed road idea is just out-and-out bonkers.
I just hope they’ll let little bike tours squeak through all this, at least at the end of the season. Would hate to see the whole year go to waste.
We live in a litigious world these days and it is hard to think that people won’t start suing if a big event kick starts the virus again so my bet would be on cancellation.
There are so many logical reasons why it’s a bad idea to run it, so I can only think we’ll see an announcement soon.
Macron announced last night that there will be no large events in France until at least July 15th, taking away the possibility of the TDF running on schedule. His random date is interesting, though, and opens the door to ASO staying with its rumored plan of postponing by a month, with a start at either the end of the month or the beginning of August.
For our business we are concerned more with the Etape du Tour, which is scheduled to take place the first weekend in July. This one will have to be scrapped altogether – there’s just no way that they can ask 15,000+ riders to change their travel plans by a month. But crazier things have happened in this world, I guess.
If the TDF does run in August, and the Etape is cancelled altogether, I suppose this would mean a new Etape for 2021, i.e. the Nice start totally scrapped forever.
In other news, trainer rides will continue till at least May 11th for us in France. Yippee.
August for the TDF hopefully. It’ll definitely be interesting in that heat. Speaking of indoor training did you join Team Ineos on their ride up Alpe de Zwift on Sunday? 15,000 participants joined in the ride. The watts posted by Rohan Dennis were amazing (they were all pretty impressive).