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Spectatorless Tour

me-109me-109 Posts: 1,778
in Pro race
So it appears the TdF is considering running with the absence of roadside spectators.
That assumes lockdown and travel restrictions are lifted to enable riders and support crew to participate. The world's media would need accommodating through partnerships, central feeds in multiple languages and associated press releases.
Could they reasonably expect no spectators and how would they police that? Perhaps it would be a very long line of people 2 metres apart watching a very strung out peloton?
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  • pblakeneypblakeney Posts: 22,878
    Try having a straw poll of riders willing to be in a peloton.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 11,439
    Just pointless. Suspend it like the Olympics. Rider and spectator safety first.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 14,624
    By July the world may need something . You just can't imprison every one for the length of time without social disorder. This has gone from medical crisis to economic financial crisis to a social one. social distancing is going to be a struggle to maintain . 3 days of it and the populstion are going bonkers . ... There is going to be trouble
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • lincolndavelincolndave Posts: 9,441
    Personally I can not see the tour happening this year, with or without spectators
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 14,624
    lincolndave said:

    Personally I can not see the tour happening this year, with or without spectators

    I think your right
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • LongshotLongshot Posts: 940
    The questions are:

    1. Can they afford to run it (from a perception perspective)?
    2. Can they afford not to run it (from a financial perspective)?
    You can fool some of the people all of the time. Concentrate on those people.
  • LongshotLongshot Posts: 940
    Also, on the point of sponsors, how many will be happy to sponsor a contentious Tour if it went ahead?
    You can fool some of the people all of the time. Concentrate on those people.
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    If they cant run it safely with spectators - don't run it at all. It's only one year.
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 23,898
    On the latest stats for deaths in subnational regions, Ile de France looks on a similar path to Wuhan, a month behind. Wuhan is considering opening up slightly on 8 April.

    If things follow a similar path, an on time tdf would be the equivalent of a major international event in Wuhan, 6 weeks after the first restrictions are lifted.

    I hope France does not continue to have the same increases in deaths, but realistically 27 june is going to be too early even for a cut down race.
  • mrfpbmrfpb Posts: 4,567
    The actual race is on a single feed shared with all TV companies that cover. It's the commentators and interviews that need separate media teams. So very restricted media presence will have to be enforced. It's possible to do interviews via link once the teams return to hotels or on team buses rather than shoving multiple mikes in a riders face while he is warming down. The riders would appreciate that.

    It's the signing on/start village and the peleton itself that are the big risks. Even if it's teams and officials only, it's going to be getting on for a thousand people.

    (I'm not saying it should go ahead - just looking at potential solutions/risk mitigation if it does.)
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    The French lock down is a lot harsher than we have in the UK. They will be out of it sooner than us. But then to have people from all over the world come in ? Hotels, marshals, support teams, journalists, broadcasters ? It's only a bike race.
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,658
    edited March 2020
    fenix said:

    The French lock down is a lot harsher than we have in the UK. They will be out of it sooner than us. But then to have people from all over the world come in ? Hotels, marshals, support teams, journalists, broadcasters ? It's only a bike race.

    Isn't the point of having a "behind closed doors" Tour so that you won't require nearly as many of the personnel you mention above?


    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • andyracandyrac Posts: 973
    The French seem determined to run their big sporting events; the ACO, who run Le Mans 24 Hours, postponed it from mid June, and said it will run in 2020; they've now set a provisional date of 21-22nd September.....
    I'm not sure things will be any kind of normal, even by then......

    All Road/ Gravel: Trek Crockett 5
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  • carbonclemcarbonclem Posts: 1,383
    Time to accept it and cancel for this year. Same with most of the races. Maybe run the later season ones if possible, but accept what is.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    blazing_saddles said:

    fenix said:

    The French lock down is a lot harsher than we have in the UK. They will be out of it sooner than us. But then to have people from all over the world come in ? Hotels, marshals, support teams, journalists, broadcasters ? It's only a bike race.

    Isn't the point of having a "behind closed doors" Tour so that you won't require nearly as many of the personnel you mention above?


    Where will the teams sleep and eat ?
    Who will close roads and direct riders ?
    Who will wash and fix their bikes ? Prepare their bidons?
    If there are no journalists or broadcasters reporting - what would be the point of running the race ?

    Even if they ban spectators (?) there's still hundreds if not thousands of people moving round.
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,658
    fenix said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    fenix said:

    The French lock down is a lot harsher than we have in the UK. They will be out of it sooner than us. But then to have people from all over the world come in ? Hotels, marshals, support teams, journalists, broadcasters ? It's only a bike race.

    Isn't the point of having a "behind closed doors" Tour so that you won't require nearly as many of the personnel you mention above?


    Where will the teams sleep and eat ?
    Who will close roads and direct riders ?
    Who will wash and fix their bikes ? Prepare their bidons?
    If there are no journalists or broadcasters reporting - what would be the point of running the race ?

    Even if they ban spectators (?) there's still hundreds if not thousands of people moving round.
    The actual "race" only requires a dozen or so hotels each day or two.
    I suppose the question there is will hotels be closed or open come July?
    The local police close roads, so most aren't part of the set up and go home at the end of the day. No crowds to marshal either.
    All broadcasters, such as Eurosport take the host feed from France tv.
    In fact Eurosport are rarely at bike races.

    Looks as if other sports are getting ready to break ranks too.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    The French are incredibly hot on the lockdown. I don't see how sports can break ranks at all ?

    Just look at how many people ITV send over to the tour - must be 20 or so ? I'm sure other countries are similar.

    And a dozen hotels for each stage is what 240 hotels over the Tour ?
    With maybe 50 people working each hotel ? The numbers soon add up.

    Don't get me wrong - I'm keen for the Tour to be on - I'm down for the Etape - but I can't see how it can be done safely for now.

    Fingers crossed the lockdown works and things get better - but its hardly begun in the UK.
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 26,725
    fenix said:


    And a dozen hotels for each stage is what 240 hotels over the Tour ?
    With maybe 50 people working each hotel ? The numbers soon add up.


    Why do you need fifty people working in each hotel? You just need one, to unlock the doors. Teams provide their own bedding and cook their own meals these days. They just need somewhere to wash and place a mattress.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • david37david37 Posts: 1,313
    RichN95. said:

    fenix said:


    And a dozen hotels for each stage is what 240 hotels over the Tour ?
    With maybe 50 people working each hotel ? The numbers soon add up.


    Why do you need fifty people working in each hotel? You just need one, to unlock the doors. Teams provide their own bedding and cook their own meals these days. They just need somewhere to wash and place a mattress.
    and yet part of the challenge facing governments is maintaining the motivation or at least compliance of the population, driving this all over the country would make a mockery of the messages that will probably still be in place.

  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,658
    david37 said:

    RichN95. said:

    fenix said:


    And a dozen hotels for each stage is what 240 hotels over the Tour ?
    With maybe 50 people working each hotel ? The numbers soon add up.


    Why do you need fifty people working in each hotel? You just need one, to unlock the doors. Teams provide their own bedding and cook their own meals these days. They just need somewhere to wash and place a mattress.
    and yet part of the challenge facing governments is maintaining the motivation or at least compliance of the population, driving this all over the country would make a mockery of the messages that will probably still be in place.

    Yet it's the government minister driving this idea.

    Motivation is right though and the consensus seems to be that France needs a Tour to boost morale.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Not much of a morale boost if you're not allowed to watch in person surely ?
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,658
    edited March 2020
    fenix said:

    Not much of a morale boost if you're not allowed to watch in person surely ?

    Utter tosh.

    https://www.letour.fr/en/the-race/media-figures


    Then there's the rest of Europe.

    https://advanced-television.com/2019/07/24/rising-audience-for-tour-de-france/


    And if those numbers aren't already big enough.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-28264183



    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Was it me or was that a bit aggressive Mr BS ?

    Very nice of the Tdf people to risk their health so the world can watch - but would you ride ?

    I'd LOVE for us all to be back to normal by July. Fingers crossed eh ?
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,658
    fenix said:

    Was it me or was that a bit aggressive Mr BS ?

    Very nice of the Tdf people to risk their health so the world can watch - but would you ride ?

    I'd LOVE for us all to be back to normal by July. Fingers crossed eh ?

    Not at all.
    You made a spurious claim, which those figures proved.

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • sherersherer Posts: 2,457
    the interesting figure is the 1800 people needed to keep the show on the road. Add in 200 riders plus a few teams personnel and I cant see this traveling from town to town unless there are major improvements in how the virus is spreading
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    I don't see that your figures proved much Mr BS.
    Everyone knows the tour gets lots of TV viewers.

    A tour on TV with no crowds cheering ? It'd be like running it in Chernobyl. Weird, chilling and dangerous.

    French TV should just repeat Fignon or Hinault winning the Tour. I'd watch that !
  • david37david37 Posts: 1,313
    cant we just have re runs of Lance winning 5 in a row?
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 23,898
    Who?
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 67,500 Lives Here
    edited March 2020
    A lot of people suggesting that a month is about the limit of voluntary co-operation for social distancing and lock-downs, so I imagine the gov't might not want the temptation of being able to watch live sport go pass people's front door, if a lock down is still going on.

    The suggestion is that this will be like this for 6 months or so that might not work for a Tour.
    _
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,658
    david37 said:

    cant we just have re runs of Lance winning 5 in a row?

    What's wrong with the other two?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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