The 2021 Tour de France has been brought forward by one week by the International Cycling Union (UCI). He will leave on June 26 instead of July 2. This new date also results in the change of location of the big departure initially planned for Copenhagen, Denmark.
The UCI’s decision is due to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics for one year (from 2020 to 2021), and the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to keep the program unchanged, between the start and the end. of the events, from July 23 to August 8, 2021. If the Tour was not advanced, the best riders in the world would have been forced to choose between one and the other competition and could have been tempted to ignore the Tokyo Games.
Last stop on July 18
Regarding the change of place of departure, Copenhagen, the Danish capital, cannot host Euro football matches and the Tour at the same time. Its mayor, who for a time considered the hypothesis of a change of site, mentioned 2022 for a departure in his city. The Brittany region has applied for 2021. After the meeting of the Professional Cycling Council held on Tuesday, the UCI formalized the dates for the WorldTour 2021 calendar, with its 35 events in 12 different countries.
“To avoid an overlap of the Olympic road cycling races (July 24, 25 and 28) with the Tour de France (initially scheduled for July 2 to 25), the French stage race will end on July 18, the weekend before the first weekend of the Olympics ”, confirmed the UCI.
“As for the Vuelta, it will be held a week earlier than its usual dates, from August 14 to September 5, to allow a better transition between the Vuelta, the European Championships (announced for the weekend of 11-12 September) and the World Championships, ”added the International Federation.
