Finally it has been officially announced that Leeds will be the host city for the Grand Depart of Tour de France, the world’s most famous cycling race. The race is scheduled to start in 2014.
EventScotland, the welsh government and Britain had hoped that the prestigious event will start in Edinburgh. Failing in their efforts this year, EventScotland is now concentrating on bringing the event back to Britain in 2017.
ASO, the race organisers are also positive about Edinburgh being the host city for Grand Depart in 2017. Carlisle earned an economy boost of 2.3million pounds, as more than 100,000 people gathered to get a glimpse of Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins, the world race champion for 2011 Mark Cavendish and other eminent riders.
Tour de France last visited Britain in 2007, but this time the organisers want to bank upon the popularity of Wiggins after his Olympics 2012 victory; thus bringing the event back across the Channel.
The Tour de France’s most well-known name Lance Armstrong was stripped of his titles earlier in the year, as he had allegedly tested positive for banned substances. Armstrong’s titles were stripped and this has been a sore point for many of the athletes’ followers.
