Time to get excited about arrival of the Tour de France

From: Geoff Noake, Sheffield.

I ENJOYED reading Tom Richmond’s piece (The Yorkshire Post, April 28). Marcel Kittel and Jenkin Road – what a combination!

Following the recent coverage of the successful Tour de France bid, I believe that the enormity of this achievement for the cities of Sheffield, Leeds and York, has yet to hit home.

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The Tour de France is not just any old bike race. It is one of the world’s greatest sporting events and runs annually, over three weeks in July. It is cycling’s equivalent to football’s World Cup Finals and every professional team and pro rider wants to take part!

The Tour traditionally starts outside of France each year, most often in the flatter countries of northern Europe, like Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, to name three.

To have two Grand Départs take place in Britain within 
seven years is fantastic, particularly as Britain was not traditionally known for its cycling prowess.

Cities and towns in France wait for years to host a stage start or finish and we have two of each in Yorkshire in 2014.

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I also think that for Sheffield to get a stage finish is even more incredible.

I remember the Tour of Britain coming to a troubled end on a rain-soaked stage finish here when Tom Boonen, the then world champion, got stuck in traffic towards the end of the stage as the roads were reopened early.

So come on Sheffield and Yorkshire, let’s make it two days to remember, this time for the right reasons!

As a cyclist, I have watched the Tour on TV or at the side of the road for over 25 years. In France, each town the race passes through treats it as a holiday. Is that too much to hope for here?

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Yes, full road closures do 
cause inconvenience to drivers, but this is a once in a lifetime event and one that, until 
recently, I never expected to happen. And all in a city where the Olympic legacy that was sold to us not so long ago, when London won the 2012 Olympics, now represents stadium closures!

The greatest cycle race in the world – an entire sporting, marketing and international extravaganza – is coming to 
town.

So let’s make it something to remember! And if you’ve never caught a bag of sweets, a cycling cap or other sponsors’ goods thrown from a promotional motorcade travelling at 35 miles an hour, then you haven’t lived.

It turns us all into young kids again. The Tour is coming. Support it. Watch it. Love it!