When will the Tour de France return to the UK?

markhewitt1978

Still a day to go yet, but I think it's safe to say the Grand Départ has been a triumph.

It would seem likely then that the ASO would look to start the tour from the UK again? Obviously there is a rotation to these things, and it's starting from the Netherlands next year, so we can possibly expect it to start in France after that, but could we expect them back in perhaps, 5-6 years?

iainf72

A city / region would need to bid for it.

2020 maybe? Depends on the financial hole this one leaves I would guess

dodgy

I hear Edinburgh has shown interest.

markhewitt1978

dodgy wrote:

I hear Edinburgh has shown interest.

I believe they were in the running for this years event, but they lost out to the Yorkshire bid?

Macaloon

markhewitt1978 wrote:

dodgy wrote:

I hear Edinburgh has shown interest.

I believe they were in the running for this years event, but they lost out to the Yorkshire bid?

In the afterglow of the olympics, a London finish was deemed essential, essentially ruling Edinburgh out of bounds (Freedom!).

Yorkshire was mind-blowing. I doubt London will be seemed as essential for future bids. It's so vast that the Tour will disappear. You could be two streets away and not know it's happening. Medium-sized cities where the event totally dominates, like the Belfast Giro, showcase the grand scale of the event.

FJS

Like Iain says, it's all down to a city or region initiating a bid for it. I'm sure the UK is now firmly on ASO's list of places, like Holland and Belgium, with guaranteed massive crowds. But then ASO has been keen to return to Germany for some time I reckon, but with no bids forthcoming, it's not happening

RichN95.

I maintain that South Wales should bid for the Giro. Lots of people with Italian heritage here.

Pross

RichN95 wrote:

I maintain that South Wales should bid for the Giro. Lots of people with Italian heritage here.

Was thinking that yesterday. You could have a cracking stage from Cardiff to Swansea taking in a bit of the Beacons and Constitution Hill. Would prefer the Tour though

I can't understand the people saying 'I had to watch as it won't happen again in my lifetime'. It's been in the UK 4 times in my life already.

joelsim

Yorkshire has done the country proud, and to be honest London doesn't have the parcours of some parts of the country, and aside from Balham Hill which could be an HC, it's a bit flat.



Steep.

blazing_saddles

Pross wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

I maintain that South Wales should bid for the Giro. Lots of people with Italian heritage here.

Was thinking that yesterday. You could have a cracking stage from Cardiff to Swansea taking in a bit of the Beacons and Constitution Hill. Would prefer the Tour though

I can't understand the people saying 'I had to watch as it won't happen again in my lifetime'. It's been in the UK 4 times in my life already.

I'd prefer the Tour too, if only for the (hopefully) better weather.
I'm pretty sure that we could put on a more than decent 2 day show,
given there is not much difference between organising and hosting a couple of successful
UK champs and putting on Le Tour. :P

cal_stewart

Think the real benefit will be ASOs new race in May 15.

A one day classic in Yorkshire late sept must be on ASOs mind

salsiccia1

As fantastic as Yorkshire has been in it's welcome, and as fantastic as Belfast was for the Giro, I'm going to commit heresy and say I don't think Grand Tours should start so far away from their homelands. I know they're following the money, but it is too much a compromise of what GTs should be IMO. I don't mind a diversion into adjacent neighbours, but not starting in the UK, Denmark, Netherlands or wherever. A visit to the south of England isn't inappropriate but Departs/Partenze so far away isn't right for me.

I'd love to see the world's best riding round South Wales, but I think it should be as part of a world-class British race or maybe even the World Championships. In fact I think South Wales would be a fantastic location for the the Worlds.

iainf72

And there you have it, Edinburgh bidding for 2018 or 2019 grand depart.

markhewitt1978

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/28174941 so it is. I hope they are successful!

I would say Edinburgh is a shoe in for a Grand Départ in the next 5 years or so, but you never know how these things will go. Especially with the referendum vote.

"When the organisers were last here, they were waxing lyrical about the city" - perhaps I'm reading a lot into one quote, but it seems the ASO are interested in Edinburgh as a city, but were won over by Yorkshire as a whole? Given that, we might likely see a Stage 1 time trial in Edinburgh city centre, complete with cobbles? Then a stage or two out in the surroundings?

above_the_cows

Salsiccia1 wrote:

As fantastic as Yorkshire has been in it's welcome, and as fantastic as Belfast was for the Giro, I'm going to commit heresy and say I don't think Grand Tours should start so far away from their homelands. I know they're following the money, but it is too much a compromise of what GTs should be IMO. I don't mind a diversion into adjacent neighbours, but not starting in the UK, Denmark, Netherlands or wherever. A visit to the south of England isn't inappropriate but Departs/Partenze so far away isn't right for me.

I'd love to see the world's best riding round South Wales, but I think it should be as part of a world-class British race or maybe even the World Championships. In fact I think South Wales would be a fantastic location for the the Worlds.

Not a fan of the Qatar Grand Depart idea then?

salsiccia1

Above The Cows wrote:

Salsiccia1 wrote:

As fantastic as Yorkshire has been in it's welcome, and as fantastic as Belfast was for the Giro, I'm going to commit heresy and say I don't think Grand Tours should start so far away from their homelands. I know they're following the money, but it is too much a compromise of what GTs should be IMO. I don't mind a diversion into adjacent neighbours, but not starting in the UK, Denmark, Netherlands or wherever. A visit to the south of England isn't inappropriate but Departs/Partenze so far away isn't right for me.

I'd love to see the world's best riding round South Wales, but I think it should be as part of a world-class British race or maybe even the World Championships. In fact I think South Wales would be a fantastic location for the the Worlds.

Not a fan of the Qatar Grand Depart idea then?

Not really

cougie

The tour will follow the crowds. In France basically everyone has seen the Tour going past somewhere - in Britain less so. They will come back off the strength of those crowds I'm sure.

I don't think London deserves the Tour really. I saw it there last time it started and their level of support wasnt as good as the towns of Yorkshire. Big things happen in London all the time. They get a bit blase about it all.

Give it to Edinburgh I say.

Same thing with the Giro - the race in Belfast was massively supported. Much better than the Tour in Dublin I reckon.

FJS

iainf72 wrote:

And there you have it, Edinburgh bidding for 2018 or 2019 grand depart.

Really hope they don't repeat that ridiculous British Cycling idea of a grand depart through the whole of Britain. Really don't think ASO has any interest in that

markhewitt1978

FJS wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

And there you have it, Edinburgh bidding for 2018 or 2019 grand depart.

Really hope they don't repeat that ridiculous British Cycling idea of a grand depart through the whole of Britain. Really don't think ASO has any interest in that

And it wouldn't produce any interesting races, we've seen how Yorkshire have constructed two stages which don't exactly go in a straight line and have been fantastic as a result. I could well imagine three stages from (say) Aberdeen to London straight down A-roads, which would be deadly dull.

I do like how they are mixing up the tour recently, rather than having the first week of nothing but flat stages.

RideOnTime

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

FJS

RideOnTime wrote:

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

I think getting the TdF in is an excellent way of making the Tour of Britain bigger and better

joelsim

FJS wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

I think getting the TdF in is an excellent way of making the Tour of Britain bigger and better

Maybe we could give 'The big depart' to France one year.

markhewitt1978

Joelsim wrote:

FJS wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

I think getting the TdF in is an excellent way of making the Tour of Britain bigger and better

Maybe we could give 'The big depart' to France one year.

Perhaps, or perhaps just moving the Tour of Britain around the country much more. It does seem to stick to the same old routes, with the new found enthusiasm for cycling in the UK, perhaps it could venture into some new territory.

calvjones

RichN95 wrote:

I maintain that South Wales should bid for the Giro. Lots of people with Italian heritage here.

+1 - was making noises with a developer mate a couple of years ago to Welsh Gov folks but frankly in Wales it's like talking to a face painted on a brick wall.

Pross

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Joelsim wrote:

FJS wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

I think getting the TdF in is an excellent way of making the Tour of Britain bigger and better

Maybe we could give 'The big depart' to France one year.

Perhaps, or perhaps just moving the Tour of Britain around the country much more. It does seem to stick to the same old routes, with the new found enthusiasm for cycling in the UK, perhaps it could venture into some new territory.

That will only happen if they can afford a new funding model, at present they rely on Councils paying for the race to go to their patch. I still think it's improving year on year both as a route and in terms of the riders it attracts. This year's MTF on The Tumble could be the biggest crowd it has ever attracted, I think it definitely would be if it were a weekend stage.

markhewitt1978

Pross wrote:

That will only happen if they can afford a new funding model, at present they rely on Councils paying for the race to go to their patch..

Even then I suspect the interest generated from the Grand Départ would get the attention from local councils and tourist authorities who like the idea of hosting a cycle race.

RideOnTime

Pross wrote:

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Joelsim wrote:

FJS wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

I think getting the TdF in is an excellent way of making the Tour of Britain bigger and better

Maybe we could give 'The big depart' to France one year.

Perhaps, or perhaps just moving the Tour of Britain around the country much more. It does seem to stick to the same old routes, with the new found enthusiasm for cycling in the UK, perhaps it could venture into some new territory.

That will only happen if they can afford a new funding model, at present they rely on Councils paying for the race to go to their patch. I still think it's improving year on year both as a route and in terms of the riders it attracts. This year's MTF on The Tumble could be the biggest crowd it has ever attracted, I think it definitely would be if it were a weekend stage.

Sorry read that as MILF on The Tumble also a crowd pleaser :shock: .

salsiccia1

RideOnTime wrote:

Pross wrote:

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Joelsim wrote:

FJS wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

I think getting the TdF in is an excellent way of making the Tour of Britain bigger and better

Maybe we could give 'The big depart' to France one year.

Perhaps, or perhaps just moving the Tour of Britain around the country much more. It does seem to stick to the same old routes, with the new found enthusiasm for cycling in the UK, perhaps it could venture into some new territory.

That will only happen if they can afford a new funding model, at present they rely on Councils paying for the race to go to their patch. I still think it's improving year on year both as a route and in terms of the riders it attracts. This year's MTF on The Tumble could be the biggest crowd it has ever attracted, I think it definitely would be if it were a weekend stage.

Sorry read that as MILF on The Tumble also a crowd pleaser :shock: .

Dirty boy. Shows what's on your mind

milton50

FJS wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

I think less attention to getting the TDF and more attention to making the Tour of Britain bigger and better.

I think getting the TdF in is an excellent way of making the Tour of Britain bigger and better

The ToB will naturally become bigger and better if cycling remains in the public eye and British riders continue to do well.

I still think that the best way to attract the top riders though is to have a tough one day race in mid-September. That would be perfect for a lot of riders to use it as a warm up for the Worlds and Lombardy

Runtothehills

Seeing the tour de France start with a time trail up the Hardknott could be good, know it will never happen (not least because of logistics with getting all the vehicles there) but could be quite entertaining. Might see some serious time gaps off a 10 minute stage

nevman

Lancashire will be seething.Nothing Yorkshire does cannot be bettered.Flandrian rivalry.