Cycling fans have been told not to attend the final 40km of the Tour de France’s third stage to Les Angles on Monday, as wildfires rage near the route in the eastern Pyrenees.
Following this weekend’s Grand Départ in Barcelona, Monday’s stage, starting in the Catalan city of Granollers, is scheduled to cross the border back into France for a mountainous route taking in the Collada de Toses and passing the ski station of La Molina, before a difficult finale at Les Angles.
However, with another heatwave hitting France this week, temperatures expected to soar to as high as 44°C, stages three and four have been thrown into doubt, as riders and teams left unsure as to whether they’ll even be racing on those days.
While the route of the third stage is currently experiencing wildfires, stage four, which will travel through the Occitanie region from Carcassonne to Foix, is also the epicentre of drought in France.
Ahead of the race’s first hot and sticky first two stages in Barcelona, Tour director Christian Prudhomme told reporters that the race is on standby to adjust the route on a day-by-day basis, and regional authorities have been informed that they can cancel stages if a red heatwave alert is issued.
And following Sunday’s second stage in Barcelona, won by UAE Team Emirates’ young Mexican star Isaac del Toro, Prudhomme revealed that the situation along the route of stage three has forced the organisers to ban spectators from the roadside during the final 40 French kilometres of the race.
Around 70 kilometres from Les Angles, 700 firefighters are currently tackling a wildfire that has forced the closure of a long section of the D66 road, which was scheduled to form part of the Tour’s hors course, the route that non-race vehicle drivers use to access the finish.
There has been widespread speculation at the race that the route will be amended, perhaps stopping short of crossing back into France and finishing at the top of the Collada de Toses.
However, in an interview with France TV Prudhomme said that the stage will go ahead as planned, just without fans or the publicity caravan on the final two climbs, after discussing the matter with the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales region of France.
“I had the prefect on the phone today, we discussed the exceptional and frightening conditions, with the forest fires that are running rampant in the Pyrénées-Orientales,” Prudhomme said.
“We decided not to have the caravan in the final 40km, in the final part in France. We invite the public not to come to the roadside in the last 40km or the finish line. It was obvious there was no other choice, the first thing is the protection of the people.
“To adapt is part of the daily make-up of a race organiser. Everything is done in accord with the authorities, with whom we are constantly in contact with. We will adapt tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after. And next year if we need to, or in three years.”
In a statement, Tour organisers ASO clarified that the “scaled-back” organisation of the stage means that, as well as the caravan and fans being banned from the French portion of the stage, the race “will be limited to the passage of only the riders and vehicles essential to the organisation of the race”.
“The exceptionally large wildfire currently raging in the Pyrénées-Orientales is requiring a massive mobilisation of wildfire-fighting resources, internal security forces, and all government agencies. The top priority remains the protection of people, property, and natural areas, as well as bringing the fire under control,” ASO said.
“These measures aim to limit the mobilisation of public resources to what is strictly necessary, so that they can be prioritised for rescue and firefighting operations.
“The Tour de France will thus take place in an exceptional format, based on autonomous organisation and a significantly scaled-back operation, consistent with the operational constraints imposed by the situation.
“These measures reflect the plan adopted at this stage, given the current situation. As the situation remains highly changeable, further adjustments may be made.
“The Prefect of the Pyrénées-Orientales and the Director of the Tour de France salute all those involved (firefighters, internal security forces, staff from government agencies, local authorities, accredited civil protection associations, and all other responders) who have been working tirelessly to combat this fire.
“They express their full solidarity with the communities affected by this event and thank both residents and visitors for their understanding and civic-mindedness in the face of the exceptional measures made necessary by the situation.”
The organisers also warned spectators against discarding cigarette butts while watching the stage or lighting barbecues near vegetation.
road.cc understands that discussions are still ongoing as to whether alterations will be made to stages three and four, with a final decision for Monday’s already impacted stage likely to be made tonight.
