French authorities, nevertheless, were not ready to accept that, sources told VeloNews. With coronavirus infection rates increasing throughout France and the site of the Tour start in Nice now thought about a coronavirus “red zone,” French officials desired the more stringent language in location for the start of the race Saturday, sources stated.
Its back to the original two-strikes-and-youre-out policy for teams at the 2020 Tour de France.
Team sources informed VeloNews the race will start Saturday with the initial “two-strike” policy in place, which suggests that if 2 riders or staffers test favorable for COVID-19 within a week, the group might be tossed out of the race.
UCI president David Lappartient informed press reporters Friday that health authorities would have the final word on health questions, and included language in the upgraded guidelines stating that, “regional and nationwide laws and guidelines dominate over the requirements and suggestions set out in the present document,” a UCI document read.
The rule turnaround will put additional pressure on teams to keep the stability of their particular bubbles. A memo passed among groups this week stated that the French government would think about an entire team in “direct contact” with any COVID positive if video or photos appeared of riders or staffers not wearing needed face masks inside group buses or hotels. Implying that if there is one favorable case within a group, the entire bubble could deal with the repercussions collectively if the guidelines are not followed, the memo stated.
The latest movement follows UCI authorities confirmed Friday a mobile lab will remain in place throughout the Tour to be able to evaluate and evaluate samples in a prompt way, including trying to validate a positive test before the next days phase starts.
As initially reported in VeloNews, Tour authorities notified teams earlier this month that two positives within their particular team bubbles– limited to 30 riders and staffers– might lead to expulsion from the race. If two positives came within one week of each other, trip employer Christian Prudhomme later on told Reuters that the guideline would be used.
That turnaround exposes how deeply included the French government is in managing the 2020 Tour, and validates that the French federal government, together with local and national health authorities, will have supreme control of simply how far the 2020 Tour goes versus a backdrop of a world pandemic.
Groups were not delighted, and pressured the UCI and the Tour to soften the rules to invoke the expulsion rule for just riders. Meetings over the past numerous days reached a compromise, with staffers being gotten rid of from the two-strike formula.
Tour authorities and agents of the UCI were not instantly offered for remark Friday night in Europe.
The guideline reversal will put added pressure on teams to preserve the stability of their particular bubbles. A memo passed among teams this week stated that the French federal government would consider a whole team in “direct contact” with any COVID favorable if video or photographs appeared of staffers or riders not wearing required face masks inside group buses or hotels. Implying that if there is one positive case within a group, the entire bubble might deal with the consequences collectively if the rules are not followed, the memo mentioned.
Sources validated to VeloNews late Friday night on the eve of the start of the 2020 Tour that French federal government authorities have squashed a compromise hammered out by key stakeholders about the critical guideline simply hours prior to the start of the race in Nice.
The most current policy shift comes hours after the UCI and essential stakeholders hashed out a compromise on how the race would deal with COVID-19 cases within a team during grand trips. That concern was a major enigma leading toward the start of the rescheduled Tour.
