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Cycling event in Nice cancelled over security fears

Next month's European Road Cycling Championships will not take place in the French city where 85 died in lorry attack on July 14th.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

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

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.

Lille, in the north, earlier cancelled one of Europe's biggest flea markets.

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

"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.

Read more of this report from the BBC.