Tour de France - a stage before 2012?

The London Mayor Ken Livingston and Transport for London head Jim Hendy will meet with Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme, for face to face talks about a possible return for the race to London in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics.

Jim Hendy, Christian Prudhomem and ken Livingstone

Christian Prudhomme

At a press conference that preceded the talks Ken Livingstone outlined the economic and social successes of the Grand Depart in 2007 - some £70 million pounds was generated and an immediate 10% increase in cycle journeys was noted in the first month post race.

The Mayor also said that money raised from a 'gas guzzling' £25 per car congestion charge would be ringed fenced to implement cycle schemes.

Livingstone then remarked that biding for the Grand Depart was a 'very completive business' and that London may not seek to hold the very specialist Grand Depart but a stage, which would be easier within the 2012 time frame. This and other ideas were the substance for their meeting later in the day.

Christian Prudhomme said that he had been impressed by the large number of fans, the atmosphere, and jokingly, the weather, and told us that he could see on the riders faces how much they were enjoying the 2007 Grand Depart. Race leader, Fabian Cancellera, expressed this appreciation by leading a round of applause by the riders on Tower Bridge.

Returning to the Mayors comment about the competitive nature of bidding for the Grand Depart, Prudhomme explained that many countries wanted to do a 'London', including Quatar and Japan.

With the Paris Nice Stage Race just a few days from starting Prudhomme was questioned on the current row between the ASO and the UCI, he said that; "We are professionals and have over 100 years of experience of running the event and we want to do it well". The UCI's job should be to administer the sport and leave the organising of races to them.

Asked if he thought the UCI would go through with their threat to sanction riders he replied; "I can't believe that they will". He also said that the French Minister of Sport has offered to mediate but that this had been declined by the UCI.

To summarise, London may well see a stage of the Tour de France held in London prior to 2012, but not a Grand Depart and that the ASO is firmly sticking to its intention to go ahead with Paris Nice and the 2008 Tour outside the UCI. (At least for now)