Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[So Long Architect]

Nice video on Le Grand Départ - http://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2014/jul/02/chris-hoy-tour-de-france-grand-depart-yorkshire

 

[FrankMunro-371]

I am no expert on cycling, but why is the Tour de France starting in Yorkshire?

 

[Kenny]

I am no expert on cycling, but why is the Tour de France starting in Yorkshire?

All I know is its something they have done since the 60's. No idea why they start outside of France, maybe its just to promote it, the likes of Paddy will be more clued up on the reasons

 

[FrankMunro-371]

I have just found this information on the occasions the Tour has started outside France:

1954 Amsterdam, Netherlands

1958 Brussels, Belgium

1965 Cologne, Germany

1973 Scheveningen, Netherlands

1975 Charleroi, Belgium

1978 Leiden, Netherlands

1980 Frankfurt, Germany

1982 Basel, Switzerland

1987 West Berlin, West Germany

1989 Luxembourg

1992 San Sebastián, Spain

1996 ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

1998 Dublin, Republic of Ireland

2002 Luxembourg

2004 Liège, Belgium

2007 London, United Kingdom

2009 Monte Carlo, Monaco

2010 Rotterdam, Netherlands

2012 Liège, Belgium

2014 Leeds, United Kingdom

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It is done to make money. The rights to host the grand depart are hotly contested and a fair amount of money hits the pockets of the tour from the auction, and, in turn, the host of the grand depart gets a shedload of money as the cash cow passes through.

The tour often goes out of France during the race anyway, for instance into Belgium to use some of the roads from Liege-Bastogne-Leige or to pass the Menin Gate at Verdun. Also trips into Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Andorra are not uncommon for some of the mountain stages (Sestriere and Andorra La Vella have both hosted mountain top finishes)

Last year every single metre of the tour was in France, as it was the 100th anniversary of the race.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

This years Giro started in Belfast, between them the two tourist boards in Ireland paid something like 2 million (not sure pounds or euros) to the organisers for the first 3 stages to be held here.

Apparently it was money well spent, seems they recovered something like 3 times that from tourists/visitors etc following the race.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Watching the start of the tour de France. It is amazing the amount of people lining the streets of towns and villages to greet the riders.

 

[NorwayFB]

Cavendish crashing a few metres before the finish,looked like he could have injured his shoulder/collar bone.

 

[leedswolf]

Watching the start of the tour de France. It is amazing the amount of people lining the streets of towns and villages to greet the riders.

I noticed that it was on the tv.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Mark Cavendish is out of the tour with a dislocated shoulder following his crash yesterday.

 

[ROVERT47]

Hu

It is done to make money. The rights to host the grand depart are hotly contested and a fair amount of money hits the pockets of the tour from the auction, and, in turn, the host of the grand depart gets a shedload of money as the cash cow passes through.

The tour often goes out of France during the race anyway, for instance into Belgium to use some of the roads from Liege-Bastogne-Leige or to pass the Menin Gate at Verdun. Also trips into Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Andorra are not uncommon for some of the mountain stages (Sestriere and Andorra La Vella have both hosted mountain top finishes)

Last year every single metre of the tour was in France, as it was the 100th anniversary of the race.

A bit like the NFL playing a game at Wembley and the Premier League doing their utmost to get a game played in Asia.

 

[thehistorymakers]

Yorkshire is such a beautiful county.I feel homesick watching the TdF.Ive been watching the TdF for over 20 years here.It's part of spanish culture to know what's happeng in the tour.Great to see the British public , out in such force.

 

[Doctor Doog]

Been to see the race today, just to the south of Cambridge. Fantastic experience.

 

[thehistorymakers]

The stages set in England , have been a great advert for English tourism . Huge crowds again.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Is that it for the England part of the tour?

A shame if it is as it attracted millions of spectators, and also helped the economy of the areas it has been in. One landlady in Yorkshire said she has never seen her pub so busy.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Yep - depart in another country is never more than three stages.

 

[Kenny]

Is that it for the England part of the tour?

A shame if it is as it attracted millions of spectators, and also helped the economy of the areas it has been in. One landlady in Yorkshire said she has never seen her pub so busy.

Just need to go OTT on promoting the Tour of Britain then.

 

[visage]

Was pretty cool seeing it today. Didnt even have to get out of my chair as it went past my office window....

 

[Stan Hullis]

You're allowed a window?

 

[Wombat del combate]

Was pretty cool seeing it today. Didnt even have to get out of my chair as it went past my office window....

I listened to the commentary and there was not a single report of some bloke with his plums squashed against the window. You've let me down.

Anyone see the Armstrong Lie on Channel Four last night BTW? Quite an interesting documentary.