Yorkshire Officials Say They're Close To Deal For Tour De France To Start In England

The Tour de France "is set to return to Britain, with a Grand Départ in Yorkshire likely in 2014," according to Whittle & Slot of the LONDON TIMES. Talks for the three-week event to start in Leeds "are well-advanced." On Sunday, as Londoner Bradley Wiggins became the first Brit to win the Tour in its 99-year history, Race Dir Christian Prudhomme "gave the clearest indication yet that a second British Tour start is imminent." As Wiggins celebrated his victory, officials from the Yorkshire bid were in Paris on the Champs Elysees and are now scheduled to have further meetings with Tour promoter, Amaury Sport Organization. Welcome to Yorkshire CEO Gary Verity said: "We are good to go now. I’d like to think we would host the race as soon as possible, because it would be a great honour. But we’re happy to host it at any time.” According to Verity, the race convoy would gather in Leeds, and there would then be three stages, before the Tour headed back to France (LONDON TIMES, 7/23).