Beard Liberation Front
2nd September
Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266
Barbe de Tour de France vote launches
The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that it is keeping the 2020 Tour de France under close review for all matters beard related.
The 2020 Tour was delayed from earlier in the summer but is still taking place at a time when COVID-19 infections in France are rising.
Criticism has been made that the event is driven primarily by commercial and broadcasting interests rather than a central focus on participant and spectator safety.
The campaigners say they are monitoring the daily stages of the Tour and are now launching a Beard of the Tour 2020 vote with a winner to be announced on 19th September.
Beards have been particularly controversial in the Tour with a Belgian team banning them on the grounds of hygiene at one point.
Conversely German rider Simon Geschke has his own beard balm while France’s Thibaut Pinot may have suffered some follicle damage after he fell off his bike on Saturday.
BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, of all sports beards in cycling are amongst the most controversial. Do they promote wind resistance and slow the rider down, or do they allow a cyclist to manipulate those same air currents to positive advantage?
As often in Beard Liberation Front polls the vote is not so much about winning beards but those that make the positive public impact during the race. However clearly there is a focus on front runners as others, no matter how impressive their beard, may make less impact.
Sagan (Slo)
Getschke (Ger)
AlaPhilippe (Fra)
Cousin (Fra)
Soupe (Fra)
Roglic (Slo)
Pinot (Fra)
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