The mayor of Plumelec in northwestern France, host of this year's French national road championships, has made it clear that he does not want the event to take place because of concerns that the region will once again become infected with COVID-19.

The French championships are scheduled for August 21-23 in the Brittany town, and a dispute between Mayor Stéphane Hamon and the French Cycling Federation has been raging for the past month or so over the hosting of the championships.

"I don't want to risk another mass infection in Morbihan," Hamon said in April.

The British Cycling Federation recently announced that it would suspend all national events, including national championships, until September 1 due to similar health concerns.

Hamon is keen to cancel the French national championships due to concerns over the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the expected influx of riders, officials, and spectators to his town in the Morbihan region of Brittany.

When France revealed its evacuation plan at the end of April, one of the key points announced by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was that gatherings of more than 5,000 people would not be permitted until September.

"The French championships will attract more than 5,000 people," Hamon, who has asked the French cycling federation for a "health guarantee," said after Philippe explained France's lockdown relaxation strategy.

"It was supposed to take place in August and now it won't. That's it."

"Now is the time to be wise: the hypothesis of a championship behind closed doors, I definitely don't believe in that."

"I have said it many times: without real (health) guarantees, I will not hold a championship.

Meanwhile, the abundance of mountain races in southeastern France in the run-up to the Tour de France (virtually at the opposite end of the country from Plumelec), the logistical impact of travel restrictions, and the fear of contracting a virus on the plane ride could also make the race for the French big guns could dramatically reduce the attractiveness of the race.

The Route de Occitanie (August 1-4), Mont Ventoux-Denivelle Challenge (August 6), Tour de l'Ain Frome (August 7-9), Criterium du Dauphiné (August 12-16), and Mercantour Classic (August 24) are are all within driving distance. Furthermore, most of these races cover terrain that will appear on the route of the 2020 Tour de France.

The riders already have a minimal travel program, with Vincenzo Nibali choosing a schedule primarily in Italy and Primoz Roglic expected to focus both training and racing in France before the Tour's Grande Palais in Nice on August 29. He is expected to focus on France both in training and racing ahead of the Tour Grande Palais in Nice on August 29.

It has also been suggested that the French national championships could be moved to October, but the revised calendar is now so packed that finding a suitable date appears almost impossible.

Groupama-FDJ boss and French National League president Marc Madiot argued that it was still too early to postpone or cancel the French National Championship.

"A lot of things are up in the air at the moment," Madiot said. 'The calendar is taking shape, but it is not finalized.'

"We have to be realistic. What we think today may not be what we think two months from now, and it may be far from what we think three months from now." Either the situation will have improved and it will be possible to hold the championship, or we will still be blockaded, or we will have been released from the blockade."

According to the French Cycling Federation (FFC), it is the UCI that decides the dates of national championships, "traditionally one week before the start of the Tour." However, the FFC told French television stations that "nothing has been decided.

"Without adequate health assurances, the Minister of Sport will not permit a return to competition in cycling or any other sport," the FFC said.