Organisers of the Tour had not postponed the event in the hope that the three-week race could go ahead as scheduled, starting on June 27.
However, the decision was effectively taken out of their hands when Emmanuel Macron used his speech to the French nation to announce that all public events with large crowds would be cancelled until at least mid-July.
The Dauphine newspaper reported today taht the Tour de France will begin on 29 August instead of its scheduled start date in Nice of 27 June.
According to the paper based in city of Grenoble near the Alps, the race will now finish on the Champs-Elysees on 20 September.
Marca reported on Tuesday that the Tour would now be held between August 2-25, with the Vuelta a Espana taking place in September and Giro d’Italia being run a month later, in October.
Giro race director Mauro Vegni told Marca that neither of the three grand tours would be shortened from their usual three-week format.
“They will be 3-3-3, never 3-2-2 or 3-3-2,” Vegni was quoted as saying.
