Post-Tour de France criteriums in towns and villages in France, the Netherlands, and Belgium will be canceled again this year. According to Velo magazine, there will be just two post-Tour de France criteriums in France this year, down from 12 in 2019.

These events come as many riders are concerned about their team's future and job security following the closure of cycling due to the coronavirus, and as the UCI and race organizers are having a very difficult time finding calendar slots for the world's biggest stage races and one-day events are insignificant compared to the post-tour crit, but nonetheless, the purpose of the post-tour crit, to get the names of star riders in front of eager and supportive fans, will be sorely missed.

The big names in each year's Tour tend to demand not-so-cheap appearance fees, and the winners of the yellow, green, polka-dot, and white jerseys proudly parade their jerseys in front of large crowds at inner-city circuit races, and fans demand special "selfies" and autograph asking for them.

According to Monday's L'Equipe, Vélo Magazine reported that of the usual 12 events held in France this year, only the Critostar de Choisy-le-Roi in the southern suburbs of Paris and the new Grand Dole criterium near Dijon in eastern France.

The Critostar has been moved to September 21 (the day after the Tour finish on the Champs-Elysées, an hour's drive away). [Organizer Eric Ramos told Vélo Magazine, "For us, it is guaranteed to be a success because we are guaranteed riders from the Tour. 'We didn't want to postpone the criterium. We didn't want to postpone the criterium because the sponsors might soon forget about it.

"Every year we organize a dinner for the people who pay to eat with the riders and who fund the running of the race. With that and some local help, we should be able to make it work.

"Given the enthusiasm of last season, I don't think we can manage the crowds," said Jean-Michel Bourgoin, organizer of the Ronde des Criteriums in Aix-en-Provence, who is concerned about the spectator limits that may still be left by the French government. He said, "The criterium is a popular festival. Criteriums are popular festivals. If we have to limit the number of visitors, which is not in the spirit of the event, it is not worth it."

Meanwhile, the Grand d'Or criterium on September 23 is a brand new event organized by AG2R La Mondiale team mechanic Franck Boudot.

"Of the 83 partners, 78 have already paid their entry fees. Plus, everyone is especially looking forward to the race since many of Dole's other events have been cancelled."

Located in the Jura department in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France, Dole is also close to Switzerland's Aigle and Martigny, where this year's world championships will be held, and will bring the world's best competitors close together from September 20 to 27.

"We have two sponsors: the French TV station Alexandre Pasteur and two-time Tour de France winner Bernard Thevenet. And both (AG2R's current professional rider) Alexandre Vuillermoz and Thibault Pinot of Franco Comptois will be on hand," Boudot said. The Group A/FDJ riders are the favorites to win this year's Tour and will be very popular as riders in the d'Or, whether they wear the yellow jersey or not.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands and Belgium host post-Tour crits that draw large crowds every summer, but organizers have been forced to cancel or postpone events.

In April, organizers of both the Natur Criterium Aalst and the Natur Criterium Roselare in Belgium announced that they would cancel the 2020 event and return in 2021 due to the coronavirus and uncertainty over the Tour's schedule.

However, the Dagus na do Tour crit in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, will now take place on September 21, the day after the finish of the Tour de France.