Stage 21 of the Tour de France in Paris nearly halved, Van der Poel breathes a sigh of relief

The final stage of the Tour de France will be significantly shortened on Sunday, the organization reports in a press release. The police deployment required to complete the full 133-kilometer course is needed elsewhere in France to combat the wildfires in the country. 89 kilometers remain, still including the circuit around Montmartre. Mathieu van der Poel can therefore breathe a sigh of relief.

Rumors about measures in Paris filtered through on Saturday afternoon and were confirmed by the Tour organization shortly thereafter. 'Because multiple wildfires are ravaging the country, emergency services and internal security have been fully deployed to protect the regions and the local population.'

The French government contacted the ASO to take over security deployment for the Tour de France and deploy it around the wildfires. 'In the spirit of national solidarity with the regions affected by wildfires, it has been decided to adjust the route.'

The course for stage 21 has been shortened from 133 to 89 kilometers. The caravan will depart from the starting point in Thoiry, where the team presentation will also take place. After the presentation, the riders will be transported by bus to the final circuit in Paris, where the start will be given on the Champs-Élysées.

The official start will not be given until 5:50 PM in the French capital. From there, two extra laps will be ridden on the Champs-Élysées before tackling the circuit over Montmartre. The finish is still scheduled for around 7:45 PM.

Van der Poel will breathe a sigh of relief, as the final circuit over Montmartre remains unchanged. The Dutchman from Alpecin-Premier has set his sights entirely on the final stage in Paris, a stage that was won by Wout van Aert last year.