Tour de France to be preceded by several warm-up races

As the ban on the sport is lifted, the first race in France will be the Route d’Occitanie between August 1-4.

In this picture taken on May 13, members of the Israeli cycling team, Israel Start-Up Nation (ISN), train in northern Israel in preparation for the Tour de France.

Several races will be staged in the run up to the rescheduled Tour de France which starts at the end of August, an updated cycling calendar revealed on Tuesday.

As the ban on the sport is lifted, the first race in France will be the Route d’Occitanie between August 1-4 followed by a one day mountain challenge at Mont Ventoux and then the Tour de l’Ain from August 7-9. Also packed into the programme is the shortened Criterium de Dauphine between 12-16 August and then the four-day Tour du Limousin from August 18.

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The International Cycling Union insisted the dates would be constantly evaluated according to the health situation regarding the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The Tour has been rescheduled to embark from Nice on August 29 from its original June start date in an attempt to make sure the sport’s central financial pillar can be staged this season.