Cycling: The Olympic Games for 2020 have hardly been postponed when the new date causes problems. Because it overlaps with the Tour de France 2021.
Will the 2021 Tour de France be postponed?
It is currently still in the stars whether the Tour de France this year can be discharged. Nevertheless, the 2021 Tour of France is already being discussed. As has now been announced, a new date for the Olympic Games has been set. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has agreed with the government of Japan to host the event from July 23 to August 8, 2021. According to current planning, the Tour de France 2021 would roll through France from July 2nd to 25th. Since the road races traditionally take place in the first week of the Olympics, this would lead to an unfeasible overlap. Therefore, UCI President David Lappartient has to think about adjusting the calendar now.
David Lappartient:
“We are now working with the IOC to evaluate what the implications of this are for the athletes' qualifications, for their preparation, for the calendar in the coming years, especially for 2021. You can count on the UCI to work with the IOC in constructive dialogue during this difficult time"
Lappartient is working on the race calendar for 2020 and 2021
In a video message via social media, David Lappartient also commented on the scheduling problems in the current – or currently not running – season.
David Lappartient:
“We are working on the cancellation of World Cups or World Championships in various disciplines. We are also working on the road cycling calendar, which is not easy. I started discussions with the individual parties, the teams, the organizers and of course the athletes. We will try to find the best solution without extending the season beyond what is reasonable. We will try to protect what defines our sport. In road cycling, of course, the grand tours and monuments for both men and women. We will work to find the best solutions and ensure we set up a stable end-of-season calendar to rediscover our passion. At the moment, however, protecting the population and respecting the existing regulations have the highest priority in order not to let the crisis spread further.”
"You can count on the UCI to work [...] so we rediscover our favorite sport for the second part of the season."
All stakeholders are working together to bring cycling back on.
Let's all do our part by staying safe! #CyclingUnited https://t.co/K8CIPQQCRR
— David Lappartient (@DLappartient) March 28, 2020