Tour de France countdown: 2 days to go – Live
All the latest news in the run-up to the Tour de France
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the countdown to the 2020 Tour de France.
With just two days to go until Saturday's Grand Départ in Nice, you can follow all the latest news and updates here.
Here was our last piece of news last night, in case you missed it, from the Ineos Grenadiers unveiling press conference.
Chris Froome: It’s sentimental to race Vuelta a España as my last race with Ineos
Philippa York will be contributing once again during the Tour de France. Here's her latest analysing French hopes at the race, which last saw a Frenchman – Bernard Hinault – taste victory back in the 1980s.
We also have a new dedicated Tour de France section on the homepage, pulling together all the latest news, tech, interviews and analysis from the race.
Just scroll down past the 'Don't Miss' section to check it out.
This is how the first training morning in Nice looks like.We are excited to be here, waiting for the start of the Tour de France!@LeTour #TDF2020 #AstanaProTeam pic.twitter.com/ifzvszmiqAAugust 27, 2020
No planes or trains, just automobiles and 'bubbles' at Tour de France
Explaining the COVID-19 protocols that will keep the Tour de France riders safe and on the road all the way to Paris
With the Tour just two days away, find out how to watch the race.
Jumbo-Visma held their pre-Tour press conference this morning. Co-leader Tom Dumoulin said that the team would not attempt to take the race lead early on in a bid to anticipate a possible mid-race cancellation due to COVID-19.
Jumbo-Visma rule out tactic of taking early Tour de France lead if race is halted
More from Jumbo-Visma – Wout van Aert rules out green jersey challenge at the Tour de France
Bora-Hansgrohe have unveiled a new jersey for the Tour de France, switching up the black section of their jerseys for more white. Check it out below.
Peter Sagan shows off all-new Bora-Hansgrohe jersey for the Tour de France
La Ville de Nice est parée des couleurs du Tour.@VilledeNice wears @LeTour colors.🟡🟢🔴⚪️#NiceCyclingParadise #TDF2020 pic.twitter.com/pMeO31wHKGAugust 27, 2020
The latest in our squad analysis series – it's EF Pro Cycling and their trident of Colombian climbers.
There's 50km to go in the women's road race of the European Championships.
Caleb Ewan eyeing stage wins over Tour de France green jersey
Degenkolb says his Lotto Soudal teammate is the fastest in the Tour
The latest from Ineos Grenadiers – team boss Dave Brailsford has said that the squad will feature a more collective leadership after the passing of DS Nicolas Portal.
Brailsford also denied that the squad is turning its back on British cycling after the non-selections of Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome.
Read Jeremy Whittle's full story here
The European Championships women's road race finished not long ago.
Bahrain McLaren have added Australian climber Jack Haig on a three-year deal. Haig made his Tour debut for Mitchelton-Scott last year but won't start in Nice.
Andy Schleck has ranked the Tour de France GC contenders. All the big names are there, but maybe not in the order you'd expect. Check out the 2010 Tour winner's list below.
The team presentation is getting underway in Nice right now. Follow along with a live stream here on Cyclingnews.
Deceuninck-QuickStep held their pre-race press conference today. The star of last year's race, Julian Alaphilippe, reaffirmed his committment to chasing stage wins rather than the general classificatiion. Read Stephen Farrand's story below.
Julian Alaphilippe: I'll be aggressive like always
When is a positive not a positive? COVID-19 and the Tour de France
Chances of false results are high unless ASO do repeat testing on COVID-19 positives
The Tour presentation is over now. All that remains is to wait for the start in Nice now. That's just about a day and a half away.
A women's stage race, organised by ASO and held in France, is set to come in 2022, says UCI president David Lappartient. "Whether this race will also be called Tour de France, I don't know yet," he said.
A tech piece for today, and another visit to the infernal debate of rim brakes vs disc brakes. Which one will be raced to victory at the Tour?
Rim brakes vs disc brakes: Which technology will win the Tour de France?
🇫🇷 #TDF2020 Hi team😍 pic.twitter.com/wONyoBo52CAugust 27, 2020
Cases of COVID-19 in and around Nice have jumped up in recent days, putting the city in the middle of a 'red zone' and meaning the start of the Tour de France will see stricter limits on crowds and more rigid mask-wearing rules. Stephen Farrand has all the info – read about the new measures below.
Tour de France Grand Depart under heightened security as Nice declared COVID-19 red zone
The stage is set! Very happy to have done the team presentation of @LeTour in @VilledeNice. Looking forward to start my 1️⃣0️⃣th Tour! pic.twitter.com/dfwwXS3FFVAugust 27, 2020
Lottto Soudal has sent two staff members home after the pair returned two "non-negative" tests for COVID-19. The two roommates of the staff members have also been sent home.
Romain Bardet will begin his final Tour de France with AG2R La Mondiale on Saturday. He said during Thursday's virtual press conference that he'll be targeting stage wins and a spell in yellow rather than the general classification.
Romain Bardet: I'm targeting stage wins on 'aggressive' Tour de France parcours
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