Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme told the French press that despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the race will not be held behind closed doors and that he and the ASO are working toward holding La Grande Boucle somewhere this summer He said that he and the ASO are working toward holding La Grande Boucle somewhere this summer.

"As it stands, the Tour de France will take place as planned (June 27-July 19)," Prudhomme told Sports-Auvergne.fr via telephone Wednesday. Of course, everything depends on what happens with the coronavirus epidemic." [The most important part of the term "Tour de France" is "France. What matters is the health of the country. The only thing I want is for the Tour de France to take place this summer. Not because of the Tour de France, but because if it doesn't take place, it will mean devastation for the country."

Prudhomme added that he and his ASO colleagues are currently discussing the possibility of the race being held at a later date, and that rumors are circulating that it might be held in late July or August now that the Olympics have been canceled.

However, according to the Sport Auvergne website, one thing is certain for Prudhomme: the Tour de France will not be held "behind closed doors."

Last week, French Youth and Sports Minister Roxana Maracinéanu told the press that this year's Tour could be held behind closed doors.

While many riders, including 2018 Tour champion Geraint Thomas, have spoken about how strange it would be to race without spectators, Groupama-FDJ boss Marc Madiot said that if the French public could only watch the race on television, " it would be symbolic.

Prudhomme, however, is adamant that the race must be held as usual in a safe environment where fans can enjoy watching from the roadside, and ASO has already set May 15 as the deadline to decide whether the race can be held and, if so, the date.