MYSTERY TOUR

The race starts in Nice today — but will it reach Paris?

THE world’s greatest bike race begins today. Whether it will actually finish remains the great unknown.

Riders and staff from all over the globe have bubbled together in Nice for the Grand Depart of the 107th Tour de France.

But the rearranged race is taking place in surreal circumstances, with coronavirus cases rising sharply again in France, and even Ineos boss Dave Brailsford said yesterday: ‘We don’t know, nobody knows, if we’re going to reach Paris.’

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

LE TOUR was scheduled to start on June 27. At the height of the pandemic in April, it was feared the race might be scrapped for the first time since the end of the Second World War. Instead, organisers postponed it by two months — a decision which at the time looked hugely optimistic.

Cycling’s World Tour only resumed at the beginning of this month so teams have had little time to prepare for the sport’s blue riband event.

But despite Covid-19 cases in the country being at a postlockdown high, and the starting city of Nice reclassified as a ‘red zone’ on Thursday, a full roster of 176 riders across 22 teams are ready for the three-week race.

WHAT IS THE ROUTE?

ALTHOUGH the dates have changed, the treacherous 2,156-mile route has not.

All 21 stages are taking place entirely in France, with the race getting under way in Nice for the first time since 1981.

The peloton will visit all five of the country’s mountain ranges. There are six summit finishes and a total of 29 tough climbs, starting as soon as tomorrow.

The only time trial — climbing La Planche des Belles Filles — comes on the penultimate stage before the race finishes in traditional style on Paris’s Champs-Elysees on September 20.

WHAT IF SOMEONE CATCHES COVID?

ALL riders and staff have already been tested twice for Covid-19. They were only allowed to enter the ‘race bubble’ if they produced a negative result.

Further tests will take place on the two rest days and there will be daily check-ups, with a mobile testing unit on hand for anyone showing symptoms.

If anyone tests positive, they will get a follow-up test as soon as possible to try to counter any ‘false positives’. If the positive is confirmed or there is no time for a second test, they will be removed from the race.

Anyone who is deemed to have come into close contact with an infected person could also be taken out.

On Thursday, Belgian team Lotto sent four of their staff home after two tested positive.

An entire team will be eliminated if two or more riders are confirmed positive in a seven-day span but the race will continue without them. At least that is the plan.

WHAT OTHER PROTOCOLS ARE THERE?

MASKS must be worn by riders before and after stages, and staff must wear them at feed zones during racing.

Only team members will be allowed into the bus area, with media kept at bay. A mixed zone will be set up for interviews with riders but access will be limited and socially distanced.

The usual 5,000-strong throng of journalists and workers has been slashed by almost half and the number of vehicles following the riders is down by 40 per cent.

Presentation ceremonies will see stage riders pick up prizes and jerseys themselves, and podium girls have also been ditched — albeit more due to sexism complaints than Covid.

In hotels, teams will be grouped together on their own floor or wings to avoid bubbles mixing away from the road.

WILL THERE BE FANS?

ONLY 100 spectators will be allowed on the start line in Nice, down from the 5,000 — the maximum gathering size under French government law — that had been hoped for earlier this week.

Masks will be mandatory at all start and finish areas, with fans distanced from riders and banned from asking for autographs and selfies. Organisers cannot contain gatherings on roadsides, but far fewer fans are expected given the Tour is taking place outside of its traditional summer slot, with children back at school.

Hand sanitiser — two tonnes of it — will be distributed over 60 points along the route.

WHICH IRISH RIDERS ARE INVOLVED?

Dan Martin, Nicolas Roche (right) and Sam Bennett all have ambitions of making an impact in cycling’s marquee race.