The Tour de France won't begin as originally planned because French President Emmanuel Macron has cancelled all public events with large crowds through mid-July in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tour organisers say it is now impossible for the three-week race to start on 27 June in the Riviera city of Nice as scheduled.

It is unclear if cycling's biggest event will be scrapped from the race calendar. New plans are likely to be announced before the end of the month following consultations with the governing body of cycling.