Wear face masks, riders' association urges Tour de France spectators

Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 8 - Cazeres-sur-Garonne to Loudenvielle - France - September 5, 2020. Cyclists before the start. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The professional riders' association (CPA) called on cycling fans on Saturday to wear face masks along the route of the Tour de France during the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday.

"To cycling lovers: Respect the riders, respect yourself, respect the distance and wear a mask," the CPA said in a statement.

The race organisers have decided that 26 climbs would be closed to motorized vehicles in order to avoid mass gatherings, leaving spectators having to walk or cycle up the road to see the peloton in the mountain passes.

Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 8 - Cazeres-sur-Garonne to Loudenvielle - France - September 5, 2020. CCC Team rider Ilnur Zakarin of Russia, AG2r La Mondiale rider Benoit Cosnefroy of France, wearing the polka-dot jersey, Israel Start-Up Nation rider Ben Hermans of Belgium, Team Sunweb rider Soren Kragh Andersen of Denmark, B&B Hotels-Vital Concept p/b KTM rider Kevin Reza of France, Trek-Segafredo rider Toms Skujins of Latvia, Total Direct Energie rider Fabien Grellier of France, EF Pro Cycling rider Neilson Powless of the U.S. and Total Direct Energie rider Jerome Cousin of France in action in the breakaway group. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Several fans have been seen running along by the riders without face masks on.

All riders and team staff members will be tested for coronavirus on Sunday and during Monday's rest day. Should two members of a team - riders or staff members - test positive within a seven-day period, their whole outfit will be excluded from the race.

France recorded almost 9,000 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, setting a record since the beginning of the pandemic.

Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 8 - Cazeres-sur-Garonne to Loudenvielle - France - September 5, 2020. B&B Hotels-Vital Concept p/b KTM riders Quentin Pacher of France and Kevin Reza of France and Israel Start-Up Nation rider Ben Hermans of Belgium in action in the breakaway group. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 8 - Cazeres-sur-Garonne to Loudenvielle - France - September 5, 2020. BORA-Hansgrohe rider Daniel Oss of Italy stands behind AG2r La Mondiale rider Benoit Cosnefroy of France, wearing the polka-dot jersey, before the start. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier