The doubts surrounding the Paris-Roubaix race this spring have increased after a local politician strongly suggested that the races could not take place in the current COVID-19 pandemic in France.
The men’s run and the inaugural women’s run were postponed last spring and later canceled entirely due to restrictions around the rescheduled October dates. A similar scenario seems increasingly likely, as the number of cases continues to increase in France and new blocking measures are being imposed.
Michel Lalande, head of the Hauts-de-France region, appeared on the France Bleu radio station on Monday morning and was directly asked whether the races would take place on April 11.
“It’s an excellent question, thanks for asking. I promise you the scoop when there is an answer, but you can guess what it will be,” he said cryptically.
When told that he did not seem optimistic, he said: “I see the sky a little less blue …”
The ASO race organizer did not comment when contacted by Cyclingnews.
Hauts-de-France, in northwest France, has been particularly hit by high numbers of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and the entire region was placed under strict blockage on Saturday, with a minimum duration of four weeks – the weekend after Paris-Roubaix.
Lalande set a similar tone last October, despite the mayor of Roubaix saying with certainty that the races could proceed safely. ASO outlined prospective measures to limit roadside attendance after a successful race on a rescheduled Tour de France, but local officials eventually felt compelled to cancel it.
The Roubaix velodrome, where races end, can easily be closed to the public, but it is more difficult to keep fans away from the famous cobblestone sectors. However, recent campaigns in Belgium kept the numbers low during the opening Classics and the recent Paris-Nice passed through a blocked area, even if the final stages were moved from the center of Nice to allow local residents to spend time in Promenade des Anglais Beira-Mar.
Lalande was told that the other cobblestone classics in Belgium – starting on Wednesday with Driedaagse De Panne – are moving forward, despite a similar increase in the number of cases at the border.
“You have to explain the logic of this, with the security measures and everything,” he said.