Tour de France tells riders and staff they must wear MASKS when not racing and ban selfies with fans

The Tour de France will once again implement strict Covid-19 restrictions on riders and staff, it has been announced. 

Riders will be required to wear masks at the team paddock, the sign-on podium, and the winners’ podium and should limit their interactions with supporters. 

It marks a similar set of restrictions to last season’s edition of cycling’s most famous race, where a total of 16 racers left the tour due to catching the virus and five quit before it had even begun.

Only 135 cyclists finished the race in 2022, the lowest number since 2000, even though 176 had started it. 

Reuters reported that teams had been instructed: ‘Do not get too close to the spectators – social distancing, no selfies, no autographs.

This will be the fourth Tour de France since Covid-19 first rocked the world in 2020

‘For all the team members: respect a confinement – limit the interactions outside the race bubble. No eating out. Respect social distancing at the hotel.’

At the recent Giro d’Italia, race leader Remco Evenepoel had to pull out after nine stages due to testing positive. 

After that, and with numerous other Covid scares, the race tightened up restrictions and officials are aiming to ensure that the Tour de France, the showpiece in the cycling world’s calendar, runs as smoothly as possible. 

The Amaury Sport Organisation, which organises the Tour, described the new measures in France and Spain, where the race begins, as ‘preventive’. 

There are no specific rules put in place for fans, though they are advised to wear masks when near the riders. 

It is unclear what punishments the athletes would face for disobeying the mandates, but they should not face automatic expulsion.

The International Cycling Union said the Covid-19 health risks are ‘currently extremely low in the peloton’ due to vaccinations. 

This year’s Tour de France begins on Saturday, 1st July.