The Tour de France will be donating 1,500 bicycles to several partner organisations, both in France and abroad.
In addition to the donation, ASO will organise a collection of bicycles in Europe throughout the summer. The goal is to give 5,000 bicycles a new lease on life.
With partners Qhubeka entrenched in Africa, with a history of providing bikes to local communities and seeing the impact that can have on someone's life, the project is starting off on a good footing.
The Tour de France United is calling for donations from the public to help spread the availability of cycling for all. You can
“A bicycle for everyone”
Discarded bicycles can become a real means of transport, often at the cost of simple repairs. This is the conclusion drawn by the Emmaüs association, which is an expert in recycling and is able to restore abandoned bikes in order to sell them at low prices. The Tour de France United is taking up the challenge of collecting 5,000 bikes (around 150 per stage town) and donating €30 ($49 AUD) per bike to Emmaüs to get them back up and running.
“Bliss on-bike days”
For more than ten years, children have been invited to the finish of the Tour de France in partnership with Secours populaire français (a French social welfare organisation), whose usual operations for young people have been disrupted by the health crisis. Instead of the regular invitation with current coronavirus restriction, around 20 Bliss on-bike days will be organised during the Tour, benefiting nearly 400 children from underprivileged families affected by the crisis.
Source: ASO
“Heroes on bikes”, with Qhubeka
The Tour de France supports the South African association Qhubeka every year, donating 176 bikes (the number of riders in the Tour peloton) to children living far from their schools. This year, the association has established the "Heroes on bikes" programme, aimed at equipping caregivers and social workers in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in South Africa who are involved in the fight against Covid-19. The Tour de France supports this initiative and will pick up the expense for nearly 1,000 bikes to be donated to Qhubeka.
