Tour de France organizers face huge problem

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

After large public gatherings were banned until mid-July in observance of the safety measures the French government imposed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Tour de France organizers are facing a huge problem in rescheduling cycling’s biggest race.

Originally scheduled on June 27 with its finish in Paris on July 19, the event got canceled because of the pandemic and organizers are finding a hard time in finding the most convenient date to move the tournament.

However, a report from the Dauphine newspaper based in France, said that the new date for Tour de France will be on August 27 and will end on September 20.

Tournament officials failed to give comments regarding the new dates, and no confirmation was released by the main heads of tour de France.

Christian Prudhomme, Tour general director, emphasized that bikers need at least two months after the quarantine will be lifted.

Meanwhile, France’s Minister of the Interior, Christopher Castaner, said that it is up to the Tour de France organizing committee regarding the final decision, adding that if they can’t reschedule it this year, they should just cancel it.

“It is up to the organizer to analyze their ability to organize it and reschedule it,” said Castaner.