"We will adapt if needed": Tour de France begins amid widespread rioting, organiser "in constant liaison" with government

While the Tour de France peloton slept ahead of this weekend's Basque County Grand Départ, across France a fourth night of rioting ensued, nearly 1,000 people arrested in an uprising of unrest that has gripped the country since Tuesday when police shot dead a 17-year-old boy of Algerian descent.

The days since Nahel's death have revived grievances about policing, while President Emmanuel Macron accused protesters of "exploiting" the teenager's death with looting and violence. Last night, the French government announced that all major public gatherings that could "pose a risk to public order" would be banned and 45,000 police officers were deployed.

More than 2,500 fires were reported across the country, with 994 arrests, and 79 further police and fire department injuries added to the tally of hundreds so far. National newspaper Le Monde saw a domestic intelligence notice that warned riots could become increasingly "widespread" and continue for "the coming nights".

All that comes just two days before the Tour de France circus, with its enormous security requirements and convoy is set to return across the Spanish border, raising questions about whether the race will be impacted.

"Constant liaison"

Race director Christian Prudhomme addressed the situation on the eve of the race, "We are in constant liaison with the state services and we are following the situation and how it has been evolving," he explained. "Depending on what happens we will adapt if needed."

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While the race route largely avoids areas affected by the riots, Paris finale three weeks away aside, and does not return to French soil until Monday — a police station in Pau, the start town of Wednesday's stage five, was attacked with a Molotov cocktail on Thursday, and there has been unrest in the stage seven finish city, Bordeaux.

Plus, with the scale of the police response to the rioting, concerns have been raised about the law enforcement resources the Tour relies on for security being needed elsewhere. 

The situation will be an extra headache for A.S.O who have already beefed up security amid the threat of climate protests as seen at last year's race.

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It has been reported that an extra two gendarmerie intervention brigade motorbikes will ride ahead of the race to spot and deal with any protests.

"Two motorbikes will work as a duo," gendarmerie captain, Jean Francois Prunet explained to the teams. "Our goal is to be able to bring an immediate response and avoid the race being stopped."

Jayco AlUla sports director Matt White told the Guardian it would be "pretty naive" to think the Tour could pass without protests affecting the action, comments informed by the environmental group Dernière Rénovation, who protested last year's race, expressing their continued desire to "disrupt as long as the government doesn't enact effective actions".

All that leaves a context, that despite the scenes in the Basque County over the next two days that are expected to be a colourful explosion of pedalling passion, it remains to be seen to what backdrop, and perhaps even if at all, the race returns to France on Monday.