Umbrellas with the colours of the Tour de France leaders' jerseys in the French Riviera city of Nice on Wednesday.

This year's edition of the Tour de France kicks off in Nice tomorrow and runs until Sept 20. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the usually boisterous celebration of cycling, that for decades has drawn packed throngs of cheering roadside spectators, promises to be a strange and subdued affair, after being moved for the first time in its 117-year history out of its traditional July slot to September, when many fans will be back at school or at work after summer vacations.

To prevent the spread of the virus, organisers aim to shield the 22 teams inside what they call a "race bubble" - open only to riders and staff who have twice tested negative in the run-up to the race.