France Nice lorry attack: Cycling event cancelled over security fears Published duration 5 August 2016

image copyright AP image caption The European Road Cycling Championships are held annually

The French city of Nice says it will not host the European Road Cycling Championships, planned for 14-18 September, for security reasons.

Mayor Philippe Pradal said the event required a large police presence, but the southern city had not "received any guarantees" about their deployment.

It is the latest event in France to be called off after July's lorry attack in Nice in which 85 people died.

The Grande Braderie de Lille attracted 2.5 million visitors last year and had been due to be held on 3-4 September.

'Two possibilities'

"Given that it was an event that would have required a large police presence, and that we have not received any guarantees about their deployment, the cycling championships that Nice was due to hold in France's name are cancelled," Mayor Pradal said on Friday.

David Lappartient, who heads the European Cycling Union, confirmed that the event would not go ahead in Nice, the AFP news agency reports.

However, he added that the union still planned to hold the races on the same dates.

"We are working on two possibilities: one in France, the other outside France."

On 14 July, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, the Tunisian driver of the lorry, ploughed into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day holiday in Nice.

He was later shot dead by police.

So-called Islamic State later claimed one of its followers carried out the attack - the deadliest in recent French history.