The Tour de France organisers have drawn up a new COVID-19 protocol for this year’s race to try to limit the risk of infection inside the peloton, with riders, team staff and officials set to wearing face masks at sign-on and in the team paddock, while riders will be banned from signing autographs.
The Reuters news agency first revealed the new COVID-19 protocol, while similar, more stringent rules were introduced for stage 1 of the Criterium du Dauphine race on Sunday.
Cyclingnews, like other media and officials, were informed that face masks were obligatory at the stage start and finish of the race. Tour de France organiser ASO told Cyclingnews that they have to still to release any information regarding a Tour de France COVID-19 protocol but all ASO staff wore face masks at the Criterium du Dauphine.
Races and teams are obliged to follow the limited UCI COVID-19 protocol that was drawn up in January when COVID-19 cases were falling. However, a number of cases at the recent Giro d’Italia, including Remco Evenepoel testing positive for COVID-19 while leading the race, appear to have set alarm bells ringing amongst race organisers and teams.