Christian Prudhomme still expect that the Tour de France will be carried out in spite of coronavirusset.

That will not run the Tour de France this year, if the organizers are forced to run the traditional race without spectators.

this is a message from the race director Christian Prudhomme.

– the Tour de France will not be run for closed doors, he says to the French sportsmedie Sports Auvergne.

last week said the French minister for sport, Roxana Maracineanu, that it was an opportunity to run the Tour without spectators, but it rejects Prudhomme.

– the Tour de France is the fervor, enthusiasm and, above all, smile. We need to be able to see those smiles, he says.

Prudhomme estimated that the Tour de France can still be held as scheduled from 27. June 19. July, but he also acknowledges that it depends on how coronaepidemien develops in France and the rest of the world.

– In the Tour de France is the most important France. It is the health situation in the country, that means something.

– I wish the Tour de France will take place this summer. Not only for The sake. If we must cancel, it is because the country is in a catastrophic situation. I hope not, of course, says Prudhomme.

Løbsarrangøren ASO has in the past put 15. may as the cut-off date in order to find out whether the Tour de France to be settled, is cancelled or postponed.

the Outbreak of the coronavirus has so far meant that the big races such as Milan-Sanremo, Flanders, Around, Paris-Roubaix and Liége-Bastogne-Liége has been cancelled.

at the same time the Giro dItalia postponed for an indefinite time, while also OL is deferred a year.

on Wednesday, announced The International Cykelunion (UCI), all cycling back to 1. June is cancelled or postponed. It, among other things, in addition to the Critérium du Dauphiné, which had to be run from the 31. may to 7. June. It has now also been exposed.

/ritzau/