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Tour de France to start on 29 August as UCI revises 2020 road cycling calendar

Cycling’s global governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), has announced a number of changes to the 2020 road events calendar because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The UCI confirmed that the postponement of competitions on the UCI International Road Calendar is extended by one month until 1 July and events on the UCI WorldTour are suspended until 1 August. 

The 2020 Tour de France, which was due to take place in June and July, has also been postponed and will now be held from 29 August to 20 September. 

Meanwhile, the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Aigle-Martigny, Switzerland, stays on schedule for 20-27 September. Giro d’Italia will take place after the UCI Worlds and will be followed by the Vuelta Ciclista a España.

UCI president David Lappartient said: “I would like to pay tribute to the representatives of the organisers, teams and riders for their collaboration and their commitment in these difficult times. 

“We still have work to do to finalise the establishment of an entirely revised 2020 UCI International Calendar given the coronavirus pandemic that has shaken the world, but a first very important step has been taken today. 

“Likewise, we have established a framework that will allow the fundamental rights of teams’ riders and staff to be preserved, while enabling the measures necessary for the survival of these teams to be taken. Together, we will manage to get through this crisis and rebuild cycling post-Covid-19.” 

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2020 key dates 

  • UCI International Road Calendar: events suspended until 1 July 
  • UCI WorldTour: events suspended until 1 August
  • National Championships: 22-23 August
  • Tour de France: 29 August to 20 September
  • 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Aigle-Martigny (Switzerland): 20-27 September

Image: Konstantin Kleine/Creative Commons

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