The Tour de France is scheduled to run from June 27 to July 19, while the Tokyo Olympics will be postponed for a year and Euro 2020 soccer may be postponed until the summer of 2021.

The Giro d'Italia has been postponed and the spring classics will likely be held in September and October, but French Sports Minister Roxana Marassineanu has defended the importance of the Tour de France.

According to a report in Le Parisien (opens in new tab), French authorities and race organizer ASO are studying ways to hold a reduced version of the Tour to protect the health of athletes, organizers, and citizens along the route and to respect measures to reduce social distance that may be implemented in July He said.

"We are in contact with the ASO. It is of utmost importance that these events take place."

Marassineanu allowed Paris-Nice to take place in early March despite the coronavirus outbreak in France. Although the race ended a day early, it was the last race held before the spring racing season was devastated by a rash of cancellations and postponements.

ASO has been tight-lipped about the possibility of the Tour de France taking place, with race director Christian Prudhomme saying during Paris-Nice, "Only two world wars have stopped the Tour de France.

"There are still more than 100 days until the Tour starts. Once activity resumes, the thirst for the race will be immense," Prudhomme added.

However, France, like many other European countries, is under a tight blockade and outdoor training for professional athletes has been suspended. Last week, five-time Tour de France winner Bernard Hinault warned against competing in the Tour at all costs.

"Frankly, I don't have the luxury of saying, 'I have to keep the Tour at all costs.' It's not my decision and there is still time, but we have to ask ourselves if it is reasonable to keep people on the roads if there is still a risk. The Tour attracts tens of thousands of spectators every day,'" Inaud told Le Parisien.

French newspapers have suggested that the Tour de France be reduced to a sporting focus, perhaps to save global television revenues and show off France to the world if the worst from the coronavirus pandemic passes. Teams will likely request special medical support in case of a crash or illness and stay in separate hotels.

The riders and teams are also demanding equal treatment for their return to the race to avoid what Groupama-FDJ performance director Frederic Grapp calls a "two-speed" Tour de France. Athletes from Belgium and several other European countries can still train outdoors, but those from Italy, Spain, and France are not allowed to train outdoors.

The possibility of holding the Tour de France under special conditions is essential for the struggling teams, which spend much of their sponsorship on athlete salaries. Over the weekend, Patrick Lefebvre, team manager of the Detuning Quick-Step team, warned of financial problems for the team if the Tour is canceled and sponsors decide to cut their marketing budgets.

"The organizer ASO can take a hit, but the teams cannot. Without the Tour de France, the whole model of cycling could collapse," Lefebvre warned.

However, it appears that the leading teams have not been informed of ASO's intentions, and sport officials are waiting before making any significant decisions about the summer race calendar.

Emmanuel Hubert, team manager of Arkea Samsic, told Le Parisien magazine. "It is too early to decide. It's too early to decide.