Cycling-Tour de France anti-COVID protocol to keep riders in hotels

FILE PHOTO: Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 13 - Nimes to Carcassonne - France - July 9, 2021 Deceuninck–Quick-Step rider Mark Cavendish of Britain wearing the green jersey celebrates as he crosses the line to win stage 13 REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

PARIS (Reuters) - Tour de France organisers have set up an anti-COVID protocol for this year's race, with riders and team staff banned from signing autographs and eating out of their hotels, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Saturday.

Riders and staff members were allowed out of their hotels last year. Access to the paddock at the start of the stages was open to reporters until midway through the race, when organisers decided to close it to "fight against the propagation of COVID-19".