Tour de France postponed amid coronavirus pandemic
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The Tour de France has been postponed following French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement Monday that extended the ban on public gatherings until at least mid-July, according to The Associated Press.
Cycling's biggest race was initially scheduled to start June 27 in Nice. An amended date has not been finalized, with organizer Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) and the International Cycling Union (ICU) hopeful the three-week event won't be canceled entirely.
"Given that it's now impossible that the Tour starts at its planned date, we are consulting with the (ICU) to try and find new dates," organizers said Tuesday.
The crown jewel of cycling's Grand Tours, the Tour de France has not been canceled since 1946 as the country recovered from World War II.
French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu previously suggested holding the race without fans, a proposal that organizers are likely to reject.
The 21-stage race requires thousands of police officers to help govern supporters and keep riders safe as the majority of stages only require barriers for near the finish.
Borders would need to reopen as well, with last year's race featuring 176 riders from 22 teams spread across dozens of countries, including reigning winner Egan Bernal from Colombia.
Moving the 2020 Tour de France to a later date could prove difficult. With the cycling calendar already littered with canceled and postponed events, organizers might fancy moving the race to September. That presents an issue for the ASO, which also runs the third of three Grand Tours, the Vuelta Espana, from Aug. 14 to Sept. 6. The first of the Grand Tours, the Giro D'Italia, was scheduled to take place in May before it was called off.
Pushing the Tour de France back could conflict with tennis' French Open at Roland Garros, which has been moved to late September and takes place in Paris, where the tour ends with the ceremonial final stage on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees.