Organizers of cycling's Tour de Yorkshire "renewed calls to extend the race to a fourth day after record spectator attendance figures." An estimated 2.2 million watched the three stages, "taking in the east coast on Friday, Yorkshire's market towns on Saturday and eight climbs on Sunday." Tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire "hopes a fourth day could be added" as early as '18. WTY CEO Gary Verity said, "I think it's really important for the sustainability of the race going forward to have a fourth day and to enable us to do two days for the women's cycling as well" (BBC, 5/2).
Prince Albert II responded to the "long-running suggestions that Monaco does not pay to host its Formula 1 race," saying it is "just a rumour." The fees that circuits pay to host F1 have been a "hot topic for a number of years amid difficulties for events such as Germany and Malaysia." All the while, Monaco has been rumored to "pay nothing to host its annual grand prix." Prince Albert "rejected this as speculation," saying that Monaco "gets no special treatment when it comes to hosting a race" (CRASH, 5/2).
The barley fields and hills of Parkhill Farm in Newburgh, Fife, Scotland, will next month host The Eliminator -- "one of Scotland’s biggest mountain bike events." This year, the festival "boasts a brand-new Cross Country mountain bike Eliminator Tournament on the Friday night, an off-road duathlon and a host of non-biking attractions" (SCOTSMAN, 5/2).
