Cycling: The corona virus prevented the Olympic Games and the European Football Championship. But the tour takes place. The ASO wants to push through the most important cycling event with a strict Tour de France hygiene concept. We look at the measures for drivers, teams and spectators - and still see some dangers.
Tour de France hygiene concept prescribes tests
On Saturday is the day: The 107th Tour de France begins. Not in July, but in August and September, the pros will roll through France and choose their winner after 21 stages. But the fear goes with me. This time it is not the fear of positive doping tests, but of positive corona tests. Because the organizer ASO stipulates that teams have to leave the tour in the event of two or more corona cases within seven days - and that not only affects the drivers, but also the entire environment of the professionals. In order to track down the virus, participants must pass two tests before the start of the Tour de France. In addition, tests are carried out on both rest days. The Tour de France hygiene concept is therefore always on the lookout for the corona virus - and hopefully will not find anything.
Spectators are welcome with a face mask
In France - as in Germany and many other countries - the corona cases are slowly increasing again. It was only this Monday that the Robert Koch Institute classified the region around Nice as a risk area. Above all, crowds of people are responsible for the rising values. Nevertheless, spectators with mouth and nose protection are welcome at the Tour de France 2020. A ghost tour over almost 3.500 kilometers is off the table for lack of enforceability. In the start and finish areas of the stages, access will be severely limited. Even access controls await the spectators at the mountain passes. Cars and mobile homes are not allowed there. This is also part of the strict Tour de France hygiene concept of the ASO.
Fear of false positive results
For the first time in the 117-year history of the Tour de France, there is a risk of it being abandoned. This would be a disaster for cycling. In addition, the PCR test is not reliable. According to studies, 98 out of 100 infected people are recognized – 2 not. There is also an increased risk of so-called false-positive results. So it can happen that riders test positive and are excluded from the tour, although it later turns out that the result was simply wrong. Among others, this has already happened to Omer Goldstein (Israel Start-Up Nation), Sylvan Dillier (AG2R La Mondiale) and Hugo Houle (Astana). One positive test was followed by many negative ones. It was of no use, because they were promptly excluded from the relevant races. One can only hope that all drivers in the Tour de France will be spared this.
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🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴⚠ In 2020, let's protect the race and its riders!
⚠ In 2020, protect yourself and protect your hearts.
🎙🇳🇱 @tom_dumoulin - @JumboVismaRoad Request to all fans of the Tour de France de porter un mask to the proximity of the coureurs. #TDF2020 pic.twitter.com/oKujkNtR6s- Tour de France ™ (@LeTour) August 27, 2020