AKIPRESS.COM - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry broke his right leg in an accident while cycling a portion of the Tour de France route near Scionzier, France, on Sunday and will remain in a Geneva hospital overnight for observation, his spokesman said.

Kerry, who canceled visits to Madrid and Paris, initially planned to return to the United States later on Sunday.

"But after further consultation it was sensible for him to remain in the hospital for observation overnight for purely precautionary measures and fly home tomorrow," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

Kirby added that Kerry "continues to be in great spirits and active," and had done a range of phone calls, including with President Barack Obama.

Kerry broke his femur but the injury is not life-threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery, Kirby said earlier. Kerry was taken to Geneva's main hospital and was in a stable condition.

He had been due later on Sunday to travel to Madrid, his first visit to Spain as secretary of state, to sign a bilateral defense agreement that would allow the United States to have permanent use of Moron air base, near Seville.

He had been scheduled on Monday to fly to Paris for a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and members of a U.S-supported coalition fighting the militant group Islamic State, reports Reuters.