The revised race schedule is slated for August 29 to September 20 with Porte's wife, Gemma, due to give birth on September 12.

The Launceston 35-year-old, who has been keeping fit on a trainer at his base in Monaco since racing was suspended due to the coronavirus, said he may have to miss the birth in what might be his final Tour as a team leader.

"At this stage of my career, we've made the decision that there are not going to be many more Tours to do, and that I should be at the race," Porte told cyclingnews.

"Of course, it's not ideal, and it's not something that you want, but I also feel this is probably in the twilight of my career. I need to do the Tour and our sponsors have been really good as well, so you feel like you do need to make some sacrifices.

"To be honest, it's the biggest sacrifice I can think of, but I'll be ready to go to the Tour."

Porte has become a mainstay of the world's biggest annual sporting event, helping Brit Chris Froome to victory while together at Team Sky. The Tasmanian has since led BMC and Trek-Segafredo teams but, after a succession of misfortune and high-profile crashes, indicated his 10th Tour might be his last before reverting to super-domestique duties.

His best finish was fifth in 2016 and he finished second on stages in 2013 and '15. He has ridden five other Grand Tours, including the 2010 Giro d'Italia where he won the best young rider classification.

Out of contract at the end of this season, Porte said: "If we come out of lockdown in France on the 11th (of May) that's a hell of a lot of time to get fit and be ready.

"No one really knows what's going to happen with travel restrictions and border controls, and all of this. It's all a bit of a hypothetical there, but as for the three-and-a-half months to get ready for the Tour, even if there is not a hell of a lot of racing, I think it's definitely doable."

Porte began 2020 in blistering form, claiming his second Tour Down Under title in January and adding another podium finish on his return to Europe in the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var.

Racing was suspended after Paris-Nice in March but Porte said the prospect of a return to competition represents "light at the end of the tunnel" for riders limited to ergo sessions for six weeks.

Monaco is set to ease its restrictions from Monday but conditions in neighbouring France may restrict an outdoor return until at least May 11.

"The first day out on the road, it's going to be like Christmas time," Porte added.

"I took three weeks super easy, and now that we're getting, fingers crossed, towards the end of the lockdown, I have the motivation to get on it for four hours a day, or more. It's a good place to be.

"My coach was really good with that. He said at the start, 'Do what you need to do, what you want to do, and then ramp it up if you have the motivation.' So, the ball has been left in my court."

The UCI is finalising a reworked 2020 race calendar including the Tour, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a Espaa and the five one-day Monuments.

"At the moment, there's a hell of a lot of 'what ifs' to get over. I think it's good news that at the moment the Tour is pencilled in," Porte said.

"No one could have predicted that this could have happened. Back in January - the Tour Down Under - that feels like it was a different year."