DUSHANBE, 23.06.2017. /NIAT “Khovar”/.  The next year’s Tour de France annual multiple stage bicycle race will begin a week later than previously scheduled due to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the international governing body in cycling, TASS reports citing UCI.
The decision was made by the Professional Cycling Council (PCC), which held its second meeting of the year on June 22 in Geneva, Switzerland.
«To minimize the disruption resulting from the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the PCC has agreed that the Tour de France should take place one week later than originally planned. This change also leads to some other amendments in calendar dates for events in the second half of the season,» the UCI said in a statement on Thursday.
The 2018 edition of Tour de France was initially scheduled to begin on June 30. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held in Russia from June 14 to July 15.