Tour de France
London, 6-8 July 2007
The biggest annual sporting event in the world, the Tour de France,
started in London in 2007, for the first time
in the 100 year history of the race. It is estimated that more than two
million spectators gathered in London over the weekend to see the Grand
Départ,
the start of the Tour. The sight of the peleton racing through London’s
historic streets as the world’s best cyclists battled it out for
the legendary yellow jersey was a compelling spectacle. The Grand Départ
weekend also saw a host of local events taking place around London, providing
great entertainment for spectators around the course.
The three days of the Grand Départ included:
- the Tour de France opening
ceremony, on Friday 6 July 2007
in Trafalgar Square, when large crowds assembled to meet the teams.
- the Prologue, on Saturday
7 July - an individual 8 km race around the streets of central
London, starting on Whitehall, taking in some of London’s
most famous landmarks, and finishing on the Mall. A very tense race
was won by Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland.
- Stage One, on Sunday
8 July -
the Mayor waved off the 189 riders from Tower Bridge
on Stage One of the race, from London to Canterbury. Robbie McEwen
of Australia produced a stunning finish to win Stage
One.
The riders then cross the channel to France and will cover around 3,500
kilometres over the course of three weeks. The Tour de France finishes on
Sunday 29 July, when the riders will cross the finish line at the Champs
Elysées in Paris.
The Mayor said:
'The eyes of the world have been on London this weekend, and the
first Grand Départ in the UK has been a phenomenal success. Not only
has our city successfully hosted the world’s biggest annual sporting
event, but we have set out a stall for a cycling renaissance in London.
This demonstrates London's ability to host top-class sporting fixtures
and promote them to a world-wide audience.
'I hope this incredible event will encourage many more Londoners to get
on their bikes and enjoy the health and environmental benefits of cycling
in the capital. I am now looking forward to the time when we can welcome
Le Tour back to London.'
Cycling is growing in London faster than any other city in Europe, with
cycling journeys in the capital rising by 100 per cent in just five years. To
build on that success the Mayor and Transport for London submitted
a successful bid to the Tour’s organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation,
to bring the Tour de France to the capital.
For further information visit the Tour
de France London website.
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