This month's prestigious Paris-Roubaix race has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was due to be held on 25 October, having already been postponed from its original April date.

But the men's and women's races have been cancelled by local authorities.

On Thursday, French health minister Olivier Veranthat announced that the Lille metropole in northern France was being placed under maximum Covid-19 alert because of rising cases.

The race, known as 'the Queen of the Classics', was won last year by Belgian Philippe Gilbert and famously involves many sections of cobbled road.

The 2021 race is scheduled for 11 April.