Tour of Britain race director said he would be 'staggered' if Tour de France goes ahead

The organiser of the Tour of Britain has said he would be “staggered” if the Tour de France goes ahead this year.

Mick Bennett, director for the week-long British stage race, said he hopes the Tour de France does go ahead this year, but has doubts about whether it can run due to logistics and travel during the coronavirus crisis.

Bennett added that he hopes to run his race, the Tour of Britain, later this year if he can start organising soon.

According to the PA news agency, Bennett said: “I would be totally staggered if the Tour de France goes ahead.

“Staggered, but in a positive way if it happens. It's three weeks long and a global event, so much more so than the Tour of Britain, in terms of the logistics, number of people on the race and the travel involved with people coming from across the world and areas with different levels of restrictions."

The Tour de France had been due to start in Nice in late June, but organiser ASO opted to push the event back due to coronavirus, with the race now scheduled to begin on August 29.

Cycling’s international governing body the UCI is set to release a new schedule for the pro cycling calendar this week after suspending all racing in March, with pro racing expected to return on August 1 with Strade Bianche.

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The Tour of Britain is currently still scheduled to start on September 6 and run over eight stages, but Bennett expects the race may have to be altered due to the upheaval.

He said that the fate of the race is not yet clear, but that the organisers would need “boots on the ground” by the middle of June to feasibly put the race together in time.