Although the French championships are facing cancellation following the French government's decision to ban public gatherings of more than 5,000 people until September, the rescheduled Tour de France remains on the calendar for the time being, from August 29 to September 20.

The coronavirus restrictions announced by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday immediately ended the French soccer season and initially appeared to have forced the ASO to further postpone the Tour. However, the Sports Ministry later clarified that the decree did not mean the Tour would be canceled, but acknowledged that it could "affect the number of spectators."

"The Tour de France is not the issue. But the Tour starts on August 29, so there could be some adjustments," a spokesman for the Sports Ministry said, according to L'Équipe (opens in new tab). 'It depends on what the ASO proposes.'

L'Équipe quoted another government source as saying that the restriction on public gatherings of more than 5,000 people could last beyond September. Tools may have to adapt to this threshold, or they may be cancelled for health reasons; the ASO has always made that clear."

It remains to be seen if the restrictions on public gatherings will force all other races in France to be postponed.

The French championships in Plumelec have already been postponed until the week before the Tour, and the men's road race is set to take place on August 23, but the mayor of Plumelec said following Tuesday's announcement that the event could not take place.

"The French Championships attracts more than 5,000 people; it was supposed to take place in August, but now it won't," Stéphane Hamon told Ouest France (open in new tab). 'Now is the time for decency to prevail. Now is the time to resolve this issue and cancel the French championship. It is now common sense."

Asked if he thought it was possible to hold the event behind closed doors, Hamon replied: "I definitely don't think so."

However, another Breton cycling event is hoping to be held the week before the Tour, and the Bretagne Classic Ouest France continues to plan for the race to be held in Plouay on Tuesday, August 25.

The event was originally scheduled to take place on August 23, but was postponed two days after the French Championships and Tour de France were postponed to August due to a coronavirus outbreak.

Jean-Yves Trumbaud told Ouest France (opens in new tab) that the organizing committee will limit the number of spectators at the finish line to 3,000, who will have to pay €10 for an advance ticket and a numbered face mask.

"Spectators at the finish line will be limited to 3,000," said Tranvaux, "and if events of 5,000 or less are allowed, there will be room for general spectators. The finish line is one kilometer long and 100 meters wide, so that would be 100,000 square meters."

The UCI had not yet materialized plans to revise the postponed Tour de France race calendar, and the meeting scheduled for Wednesday was postponed, but it was expected that the Criterium du Dauphiné would be scaled back and held in August in preparation for La Grand Boucle

"L'Oeil de la Grande Boucle

When interviewed by L'Équipe, Marc Madiot, manager of the Groupama-FDJ, insisted that "it is possible to organize a race in August with less than 5,000 people."