European Championships could go ahead in Brittany ahead of Tour de France
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Updated 26/05/2020 at 12:06 GMT
The organisers of the men's Bretagne Classic Ouest-France and the women's GP de Plouay-Lorient Agglomeration Trophée WNT have offered to host the UEC Road European Championships this season.
ALKMAAR, NETHERLANDS - AUGUST 11: Arrival / Elia Viviani of Italy / Celebration / Yves Lampaert of Belgium / during the 25th UEC Road European Championships 2019 - Elite Men’s Road Race a 172,6km race from Alkmaar to Alkmaar / #EuroRoad19 / on August 11,
Image credit: Getty Images
The event, which had previously been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, could now take place in Plouay ahead of the rearranged Tour de France.
Trentino, Italy had been scheduled to host the European Championships between September 9-13 prior to the coronavirus outbreak, and the European Cycling Union (UEC) remains committed to taking the race there in 2021.
However, the governing body retained hopes of staging the event this season and according to a report in L'Equipe, the UEC contacted the mayor of Plouay, Gwen Le Nay, who in turn put the idea to the WorldTour race organisers.
"We are ready to organise the event," Jean-Yves Tranvaux told L'Equipe, "while rearranging the programme and dates so as to still organise the Bretagne Classic and the GP de Plouay-Lorient."
The Bretagne Classic and the women's GP de Plouay-Lorient had been scheduled for August 25 and 26 but would need to be moved should Brittany host the European Championships.
The Tour is now due to start in Nice on August 29, meaning the "European elite men's road race could then take place on Wednesday, August 26, which would mean that riders could then go from there to the Tour de France," Tranvaux suggested.
For Tranvaux's plan to work, health authorities will need to give it their approval but he is confident the organisers could put on a successful event.
"I think we should know more in early June following the announcements that should be made as part of the second phase of deconfinement in France," he said.
Before being asked about the European Championships, we had already decided to limit access to the Plouay circuit to 3,000 people, with paid tickets and reservations on the internet.
"With 25 kilometres of barriers and an open area of seven hectares, we have the infrastructure necessary to organise the event really well, with the ability to secure the site."
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