The Tour cyclists will not be bouncing along the Parisian cobbles until September. /Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP
The Tour de France cycling race has been delayed due to COVID-19 and is now expected to take place in August and September, instead of the traditional three weeks in June and July.
Often cited as the world's largest annual sporting event, Le Tour brings together around 200 cyclists to compete over 21 stages and 2,156 miles.
The decision has long been expected, but was forced when French president Emmanuel Macron banned all "large-scale" public events until mid-July.
2019 champion Egan Bernal (center) of Colombia will have to wait a little longer to defend his yellow jersey. /Marco Bertorello/ AFP
This year's race was slated to start in Nice on 27 June and finish in Paris on 19 July, but along with much of the world's sport, it has been delayed by the ongoing pandemic and is now hoped to take place from 29 August to 20 September. The Aumary Sports Organization, which runs the annual event, said no changes will be made to the route.
The decision has been made in conjunction with the sport's governing body, the UCI, which has the mammoth task of rearranging several months of races around the world – from one-day "Classics" in Belgium and the Netherlands to the three-week "Grand Tours" of Spain, Italy and France.
A showcase for France, Le Tour often visits both the Alps and Pyrenees mountain ranges. /Jeff Pachoud/AFP
Since 2014 Le Tour has also included a shorter women's race. The organizers have not revealed when "La Course" will be run, but confirmed it would also take place during the men's race, as has been tradition.
"We all hope that the 2020 Tour de France will help to turn the page on the difficult period that we are currently experiencing," said an ASO statement.
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