It was reported that the 2021 Tour de France Grand Départ will be held in the Brittany region. Due to the overlap between the Tokyo Olympics and the Euro 2020 soccer dates, discussions were held between the race's organizer, ASO, and the local authorities in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the race will start.

Last week, the IOC announced the schedule for next year's Olympics, and the cycling road race is once again set for the first weekend of the Games. The men's road race around Mt. Fuji will be held on July 24, the same day as the final stage of the Tour.

In a normal Olympic year, the Tour is usually moved up to avoid a conflict with the Olympics, but doing the same in 2021 is complicated by Euro 2020, which has been postponed until next summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Group stage matches will be held at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium on June 12, 17, and 21, with a second round match on June 28.

Moving the Tour Grand Depart a week earlier means that the race will visit Denmark from June 25 to 27. On Thursday, the Breton newspaper Le Télégramme (opens in new tab) reported that the Brittany region had been informally chosen as the starting point for the race.

Brittany was expected to bid for the Grande Palais in 2024 or 2025, but that plan will likely be pushed back several years. The race last visited the region in 2018, with stages 4, 5, and 6 held in Sarzeau, Quimper, and Mul de Bretagne.

The 2021 Tour was scheduled to open with a 13-km time trial in Copenhagen, followed by two mostly flat stages running from Roskilde to Naivori and Vejle to Sønderborg.

Last month, ASO contacted the Danish authorities and requested a change in the schedule to avoid a conflict with the Olympics. Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen, who chairs the local organizing group, confirmed the request, adding that changing the race start dates was a "big deal."

"I can confirm that the management of the Tour de France has asked us to discuss a contractual schedule for the start in Denmark in 2021," Mayor Jensen told DR.

"If we have a contract with another and one side says they have a problem with that contract, of course we need to discuss it together. Because we have approached the management of the Tour de France in the past. Now they are approaching us

"Now that we have mastered soccer and the dates are set, it is clear that if the dates are shifted it will be a big problem.

The UCI is reportedly in contact with the IOC to discuss a possible schedule change for the men's road race. Danish Football Federation president Jesper Moller said he was willing to discuss changing the dates of the Euro 2020 games in Copenhagen, but added that UEFA's competition schedule is set.

As a result, it is increasingly likely that Copenhagen will not host the Tour de France. There remains a possibility that the Danish capital will host the Grande Paire in the future, but no plans beyond 2021 have been confirmed by the ASO.