LONDON, May 28, 2011 (AFP) – Yorkshire, England’s biggest county, said
Saturday its bid to host the opening stages of the Tour de France was being
positively viewed by the organising committee.

The Welcome to Yorkshire tourism agency confirmed it was in “advanced
talks” to bring the Grand Depart of the 2016 tour to the northern county.

The opening two days of the race are held in a new location outside France
every two years.

The Grand Depart was last held in Britain in 2007, when thousands turned
out to watch the teams race through London and Kent, the county closest to
France.

“I can confirm that we are having advanced talks to host the Tour de
France,” Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Gary Verity told the Yorkshire
Evening Post newspaper.

“Those in-depth discussions are ongoing but I can reveal Yorkshire’s bid
has been positively received by the organisation committee at this stage.

“Yorkshire is a world-class destination experienced at successfully hosting
world-class events and we believe it will provide the perfect backdrop to the
world’s greatest cycle race, producing the best international Grand Depart the
Tour de France has seen yet.”

The proposal would see the race start in Leeds city centre and cover 180
kilometres a day. Leeds, Yorkshire’s biggest city, would host a festival of
music and entertainment during the two days.

The tour would weave through the Yorkshire Dales, the cathedral city of
York itself, then through the North York Moors to the coastal resort of
Scarborough.

The tour would then head south to the port of Hull and finally the former
steel city of Sheffield.

Further talks are due to take place in June and plans are underway for the
Tour de France organisers to visit Yorkshire to see the proposed route.