A further increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in and around Nice has put the Tour de France host city in the so-called red zone.

Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme had previously stated that he was against holding the race behind closed doors, but accepted that the start and finish of the stages around Nice, as well as the categorized climbs of stages 1 and 2, would require strict restrictions on spectators He accepted that they would have to be. The start and finish would be in areas closed off by blackout curtains. On Thursday evening, only 1,000 people were allowed to attend the Tour de France team presentations.

According to the Alpes-Maritimes provincial health authorities, the number of newly diagnosed cases over the past seven days reached 97 per 100,000 population. French Prime Minister Jean Castex classified 19 French departments as red zones and mandated the wearing of masks.

Access to the Limies coast on Saturday and the Cormierne, Tourini, Cattlet-Chemin, and Eze passes on Sunday is permitted.

"Access to the trails by vehicles is prohibited. Due to public order, the police must take all measures to prevent spectators from gathering at the foot of the climb," said Bernard Gonzalez, Nice police chief, at a special press conference at the Tour de France site with Prudhomme and Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice.

"We entered the red zone this morning, but we were not caught off guard. We knew at least 10 days ago that we were going from a tight regime to an even tighter regime," Prudhomme said.

Gonzalez explained that the Grande Pearl will be strictly limited to two spectator stands, each with 50 people, and will be physically separated from each other. The stands are for the city of Nice, he said, "to reward those who have worked so hard to organize this Tour."

He said that the start will be "mostly closed to the public" and that "if I have one piece of advice for spectators, it is to watch the climb of the pass on TV."

Estrossi has always supported the Tour de France in Nice, but now hopes the race will not worsen the COVID-19 epidemic in his city.

"In terms of health precautions, the safest place to be is Nice for the Tour de France.

"I want to make zero mistakes by Monday (when the race leaves Nice) and I hope the same for ASO and Christian Prudhomme in Paris in three weeks. And I want the same for ASO and Christian Prudhomme in Paris in three weeks.

Similarly stringent measures could be taken at other stages of the three-week Tour de France, depending on the different levels of caution in different regions of France.