Sports story by Gareth Bowman, Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:24:00 GMT


LONDON - City mayor Ken Livingstone has announced that the prestigious Tour de France will kick-off from London next year. This is the first time that the Grand Depart will take place in England and only the third time that the race has come to England in 103 years.

"I am proud to announce that London has successfully bid to host the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in July 2007," Mr. Livingstone said. "Hosting the first stage of the legendary French cycle race will raise the profile of cycling in the capital, attract visitors and promote the capital as a venue for international sporting events."

Since the last 50 year, the Tour has staged the Grand Depart in foreign cities and Dublin became the first outside mainland Europe in 1998. London will be the second. "Cycling in the capital is growing faster than anywhere else in Europe," Livingstone pointed out. "I want London to become a world-class cycling city and Transport for London has increased investment in cycling from 5.5 million pounds ($13 million) in 2000 to 24 million pounds ($57 million) this year."

Besides London, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark had put in bids to stage the Grand Depart in October 2004. The Tour will open on July 6 in 2007 and many famous London landmarks like Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, are expected to figure in the ceremony.

"We will unveil the route at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference center on February 9," Livingstone said. He added that the event would bring in money and would cost significantly less than what the organizers were asking for the London Grand Prix.

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