Opening stage of Etoile de Bessèges cancelled due to protests

The opening stage of the 2024 Etoile de Bessèges has been cancelled due to social unrest disrupting the course of the first stage.

For the past week farmers from across France have blocked roads in protest of changing policies and the economic challenges facing rural France. Roads include the A54 which bisects the course of the first stage of the race. The final decision to cancel the stage came from the president of the Department of Gard, Claudine Fangile, as the protests showed no signs of stopping.

A statement explaining the cancellation read: “Given the current social context in the department, the Prefecture of Gard has asked the organizers of the Etoile de Bessèges to cancel the first stage of the Etoile de Bessèges-Tour du Gard which was to take place this Wednesday, January 31, 2024, between Bellegarde and Bellegarde. It is with regret that the first stage of the Etoile de Bessèges-Tour du Gard 2024 is cancelled.”

The protests taking place on major highways throughout France will likely continue beyond January 31. However, they are not likely to influence other stages since stage 1 was the only day that was set to cross the affected A9 or A54. From a racing perspective, the change will eliminate the only sure-fire sprint stage of an otherwise rolling selection of stages around the Occitanie region of southern France.

Etoile de Bessèges was set to run from Wednesday, January 31 to Sunday, February 4. Now, the race will be shortened to four days.