The organizers of the Tour de France are taking significant steps to reduce the risk of falls during the race. Since 2005, the '3km' rule has been in force to avoid group movements and collective falls. This rule allows runners aiming for the general classification, who are not concerned with the sprint, to let the sprinters' teams work in the last three kilometers and slide to the back of the peloton. In the event of a fall or mechanical problem in this sector of the race, they are classified at the same time as the peloton. However, they must avoid a break.
Despite this rule, falls have been numerous in recent editions of the Grande Boucle. Consequently, the rule has evolved this year. For stages 5, 6, and 10, it is extended to 4 kilometers, and for stages 3, 12, and 13, it is extended to 5 kilometers. This new rule will be in effect during the arrival this Monday. Additionally, a 3-second rule has been established, allowing runners to fall slightly behind in the last few hundred meters. If they arrive less than three seconds after the peloton, they will be classified at the same time as the peloton, avoiding penalties in the general classification. The objective is to reduce the peloton and limit running movements to avoid falls.
In the recent stages, the Frenchman Kévin Vauquelin, a 23-year-old representative of Arkea-B&B Hotels, won the second stage of the Tour de France, covering the 199 km distance from Cesenatico to Bologna. The Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) finished in second place, about thirty seconds behind. The Slovenian champion Tadej Pogacar, who arrived in a small group that also included Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Richard Carapaz, won the yellow jersey as the leader of the Tour's general classification. Despite having the same overall time as the other three, Pogacar achieved this thanks to the best placings in the two stages run so far.
- The new rules implemented by the Tour de France organizers aim to enhance the safety of the riders and reduce the number of falls. By extending the '3km' rule to 4 and 5 kilometers for certain stages, the organizers hope to provide a safer environment for the cyclists, especially in the crucial final kilometers of the race.
- The introduction of the 3-second rule is another measure to ensure that minor delays in the last few hundred meters do not unfairly penalize riders in the general classification. This rule is expected to reduce the pressure on the cyclists during the final sprint, thereby minimizing the risk of falls.
- The recent victory of Kévin Vauquelin and the performance of Tadej Pogacar highlight the competitive nature of this year's Tour de France. As the race progresses, it will be interesting to see how these new rules impact the overall dynamics and safety of the event.
