Tour de Normandie organizers have canceled the 2.2-category stage race scheduled for March 23-27 following a French government ban

. On Monday, the French government banned more than 1,000 people from gathering in public places as the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases approached 1,500. In response, ASO, the organizer of the Paris-Nice (open in new tab) race, has barred the start and finish of the stage from public view, but the World Tour race continues to allow more than 1,000 people to gather in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19.

"Cycling is a popular sport," organizers said in a statement posted on the race's official website. 'The Tour de Normandie is a popular festival and must remain so. The whole world is in an unprecedented situation and we, the volunteer organizers of the Tour de Normandie, are at our wits' end.

"Faced with the constraints and financial burdens imposed on voluntary organizations like ours, and the threat of even more stringent rules that could be imposed not only before the start on Monday, March 23, but also during race week, the Tour de Normandie will not be celebrating its 40th edition in 2020."

Tour de Normandie president and organizer Arnaud Anquetil said the situation was intolerable for his event.

"The 40th anniversary is a celebration, and without spectators there would be no race.

The 2.2 race traditionally attracts Continental teams from around the world and is highly regarded as a difficult early season race. Anquetil said the event will return for its 40th anniversary in 2021.