French Sports Minister Roxana Marassineanu said that if the 2020 Tour de France is to be held from August 29 to September 20 as currently scheduled, it will not be held privately.

This week, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe's announcement that a coronavirus outbreak would ban public gatherings of more than 5,000 people until September has raised new questions about the possibility of hosting the 2020 Tour.

The French Ministry of Sport later announced that the announcement did not rule out the possibility of the 2020 Tour taking place on August 29 as scheduled, but the UCI nevertheless chose to postpone the announcement of the revised 2020 calendar until next week.

In an interview with RMC Radio (opens in new tab) on Thursday evening, Maratineanu admitted that it would "take a little time" before the sporting events would resume, but said that if the situation in France improves in the meantime, both the Tour and the Roland Garros tennis tournament could be held in September In the meantime, he said, if conditions in France improve, both the Tour and the Roland-Garros tennis tournament could be held in September.

"We will have to be patient and move forward cautiously and not make overly ambitious plans," Marassignol said. If things improve further in September, "we could have all the events on the calendar, including the Tour de France and Roland Garros. [At Roland Garros it's for entertainment, at the Tour de France it's for joy and excitement. It's for entertainment at Roland Garros, for pleasure and excitement at the Tour de France. Nothing is done behind closed doors."

The 2019-2020 French soccer season officially ended this week with the extension of the ban on public gatherings of more than 5,000 people. In cycling, the French national championships, which were scheduled to take place in Plumelec the week before the Tour, will likely be canceled.

However, Malatineanu suggested that smaller sporting events could be held privately in August before the restrictions on public gatherings are lifted. Organizers of the Brittany Classic in Plouët (August 25) are considering plans to limit the number of spectators at the finish to 3,000 ticket buyers, and ASO will hold a reduced version of the Criterium du Dauphiné in August prior to the postponed Tour de France It was believed to be planned.

"There may be a competition in August that will be held behind closed doors to respect the 5,000-person rule," Marassignol said, but warned that due to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, he could not say for sure regarding future plans for the sporting calendar.

"My role as Minister of Sports is to be optimistic and reassuring, but also cautious and realistic. The reality is that whatever the curve of the pandemic imposes on us, it will be. I cannot say with certainty. It is premature to say whether the Tour de France will be postponed or cancelled. We are in regular discussions with the organizers, ASO. It is up to them to decide when the day comes when they have to make a decision."