8 hours ago
3
The Grand Depart of the men's Tour de France is acceptable to instrumentality to Great Britain successful 2027, BBC Sport has learned.
Britain past hosted the commencement of the world's astir celebrated cycling contention successful Yorkshire successful 2014, erstwhile it began successful Leeds, followed by stages finishing successful Sheffield and London.
The country's archetypal Grand Depart took spot successful London successful 2007.
Details of the way are inactive being finalised, and precocious talks betwixt British sports authorities and contention organisers continue.
But according to well-placed sources, an authoritative announcement could travel arsenic aboriginal arsenic adjacent month.
Funding assemblage UK Sport identified the 2027 Tour arsenic 1 which could statesman successful Britain successful a database of planetary lawsuit hosting targets past year, and has been successful negotiations with contention organisers ASO, with British Cycling afloat supportive of the plan.
In a statement, UK Sport said, "We person made nary concealed of our ambition to big the Tour de France Grand Depart successful Britain - to animate much radical to bask cycling and bring lasting benefits to communities.
"However, we respect this is simply a substance for the ASO and we stay committed to moving hard to make opportunities that tin bring the joyousness of cycling to everyone."
According to an authoritative report, crowds astatine the roadside for the 3 English stages successful 2014 totalled 4.8 million, with 3.5m idiosyncratic spectators.
That helped make an estimated £128m successful full revenue, with £102m successful Yorkshire alone.
Last year's Grand Depart took spot successful Florence, Italy, with the 2026 contention owed to commencement successful Spain successful Barcelona.
English (US)