British Biking has backed the return of the Tour de France to the UK for a future Grand Départ, with the organisation signalling it is curiosity in bringing again the Tour for 2027.
The race final visited British shores for a trio of phases in Yorkshire and London again in 2014, whereas in 2007 the capital hosted the prologue and stage 1.
Grand Départs in Lille and Barcelona have already been confirmed for the following two editions of the race, that means {that a} British bid might be profitable in 2027.
British Biking CEO John Dutton gave his backing to the thought in an interview with London newspaper Metropolis A.M. earlier this month, although pressured that the choice to bid for the Tour begin wasn’t as much as the organisation.
“The Tour de France would have a massively constructive impression, it might create unbelievable visibility and it might enable all companions to ship extra social worth over a time period,” Dutton mentioned
“It would not simply be concerning the race coming and going, there’s an enormous cycle tourism facet.
“It is not our choice however it’s why occasions are so essential, and that they are often delivered in a financially sustainable far more than the sum of the components.”
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Neighbouring nation Eire, which hosted the Grand Départ in 1998, had submitted an expression of curiosity in bidding to host the Tour in 2026 or 2027.
That bid was withdrawn in January, nevertheless, with the nation’s Division for the Financial system citing “Funding reductions this 12 months and an absence of certainty concerning the funds place in future years.”
The funds for a possible British 2027 bid remains to be being labored on, with Dutton sounding constructive about the potential of it coming to fruition.
“The price remains to be within the strategy of being labored by way of however we might undoubtedly be inside our means and ready to step up and help in opposition to the worth of simply getting extra individuals on a motorbike,” he mentioned, earlier than shedding some gentle on the place a possible Grand Départ might go to.
“We’d love to come back to London. We’re taking a look at massive inhabitants centres – London, Glasgow, Cardiff and extra,” mentioned Dutton
“We’re doing a mapping train in the meanwhile on the Tour of Britain to take a look at areas we have not been to beforehand. Hopefully we will attain extra individuals in additional locations.
“The Tour de France is a business organisation and so it’s a challenge led by UK Sport,” he added. “However off the again of the Grand Depart in 2014, which I used to be personally concerned in, and seeing the tens of millions of individuals come to the facet of the street and the attain throughout the geography of the UK, we’re totally supportive [of its return].”
