Cycling shutdown extended, Tour de France dates remain

Cycling's shutdown was extended until June on Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning French one-week stage race the Criterium du Dauphine will be postponed, organisers announced.

However, the Tour de France, due to start in Nice on 27 June, remains on schedule.

The Criterium was to have started in Clermont Ferrand on 31 May, while the only remaining key Tour de France warm-up race not yet postponed is the Tour de Suisse.

The Criterium is organised by Amoury Sports Organisation (ASO) who run the Tour de France.

"The priority is the health of the nation," insisted ASO president Christian Prudhomme.

"For now the Tour de France dates remain the same," Prudmomme told AFP.

"The most important word in the Tour de France is 'France'."

The president of the International Cycling Union (UCI) David Lappartient made the announcement of the extended suspension on Wednesday.

The UCI says it is preparing a new potential calendar taking into account different scenarios and will present it in the coming weeks.

Last season the Criterium du Dauphine was won by Jakob Fuglsang.