Tour de France riders implore roadside fans to wear facemasks as race holds its breath over testing results
Riders and teams run arguably the biggest gauntlet of this Tour de France so far on Monday's rest day in the west of France, as they undergo testing for Covid-19 for the first time since the race began in Nice, a Covid ‘red zone’, over a week ago.
There is a palpable sense of trepidation at what the tests might show up. Organisers ASO have already said that any team found to have two positives in their ranks - riders or staff - will be expelled from the race.
With the stakes so high, teams and riders reacted with dismay to the sight of fans, many of them unmasked, packing the climbs of the Pyrenees over the weekend, screaming the riders on, or running alongside them.
The professional riders' association (CPA) called on fans to wear face masks along the route, while riders urged fans to be more responsible.
“The coronavirus is here, and we want the Tour to get to Paris,” said Jumbo-Visma’s Tom Dumoulin. “There we can have people screaming without masks, and it will be fine.”
Spanish team Movistar issued a statement on Twitter urging fans to use masks and maintain social distancing to give the race the best possible chance of reaching Paris on September 20.
As most of you, we're concerned by the current situation in the world. It's taken so much effort to restart the season - and we all don't want it to end. Please wear a mask, use it correctly, and keep some distance. Do it for us and the rest of the field. 🙏😷 #TDF2020 pic.twitter.com/wvnwynuzt3
— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) September 5, 2020
Andre Greipel, who rides for Israel Start-Up Nation, also took to Twitter to urge fans to "respect the rules."
As participants of the @LeTour everybody involved in that event, during the actual circumstances with #Covid_19, have and had to make big sacrifices. It is simple to keep this event going- respect the rules-keep the distance to us riders and wear masks, PLEASE.
— Andre Greipel (@AndreGreipel) September 6, 2020
Teams have attempted to stay in a ‘race bubble’ throughout the first week, with buses and team hotels out of bounds to journalists and all interviews conducted in a much-reduced mixed zone, from a distance of 2m. It has been impossible to completely eradicate interaction with the public, however, even with ASO closing mountain passes to cars.
ASO has also tried to ease fears that teams might sent home due to ‘false positives’. Anyone who tests positive without symptoms will undergo a second test. Only if that is positive will they be sent home.
It is understood team staff began to be tested on Sunday night with the rest of the peloton due to be tested on Monday.
