RETOOLED TOUR COULD BE BLUEPRINT FOR OTHERS

THE Tour de France rolls out of the French Riviera on Saturday with peaks, plains and rigid coronavirus protocols standing between the 176 riders and the final dash along the ChampsElysees in Paris.

The famous race was delayed by more than two months because of the virus. But political will and organisational savvy saw the Tour cling on as the Tokyo Olympics and football’s Euros fell by the wayside.

A blueprint for sport in the time of coronavirus may emerge as audiences from 190 countries will be able to feast on France’s prettiest vistas on the gruelling three-week endurance test.

Race chief Christian Prudhomme likes to say the Tour de France is 3000km of smiles (3470km for 2020) but he has appealed for the expected 10 million roadside fans to mask up this year. After marathon negotiations with political leaders, the ASO, which organises the race, announced that two positive COVID-19 cases in any team would see them removed from the event.

All riders must undergo two PCR nasal tests in the days leading up to the start. Furthermore, the Tour has set up a COVID-19 testing unit of about 15 people that will be attached to the co-ordination centre.

The Mediterranean city of Nice plays host to the build-up known as

“Le Grand Depart” and the first three stages either start or finish there.

Colombia’s 23-year-old defending champion Egan Bernal will defend his title as sole captain of Ineos, which ruthlessly axed both four-time winner Chris Froome and 2018 champion Geraint Thomas from its roster last week. The Tour will also do away with having two podium girls to greet the winners each day — now it will be one woman and one man.

Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic celebrates his game-winning shot against LA Clippers. Picture: Kevin C. Cox/Getty