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2014 Giro d'Italia to start in Belfast, reports L'Equipe

Race will start in Belfast before crossing the border and heading to Dublin, says French sports daily

Belfast will reportedly stage the start of the 2014 Giro d'Italia, according to French newspaper L'Equipe. If true, it means that two of next year's Grand Tours will start in the United Kingdom, with the Tour de France Grand Depart taking place in Yorkshire, although in fact plans for the Giro have a very Irish flavour, including visiting the Republic of Ireland.

According to L'Equipe, the Giro will begin in the Northern Irish capital before crossing the border and heading to Dublin, which itself hosted the start of the ill-fated 1998 Tour de France, which became overshadowed by the Festina Affair.

The Giro d'Italia first started 'abroad' in 1965 when it visited the landlocked Republic of San Marino, which borders two Italian regions, Emilia-Romagna and the Marche. Most recently, it began in Denmark last year, while May's race starts on Italian soil in Naples.

Plans for an Irish Grande Partenza were first revealed at the end of October last year, with the cross-border bid to host the Giro  jointly submitted to organisers RCS Sport by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) and its counterpart in the Republic, Failte Ireland, and it reportedly has the backing of the governments of both countries.

The bid was said to be handled by Dublin-based company Shade Tree Sports, which was co-founded and is managed by Darach McQuaid, brother of UCI president Pat McQuaid.

 

 

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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9 comments

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Simmo72 | 11 years ago
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All went well until someone proposed raising the italian flag at the town hall, at least there are lots of tyres to burn.

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scottharkins1971 | 11 years ago
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Well said Farky !!

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cat1commuter | 11 years ago
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I predict fantastic helicopter-shot scenery.

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jdstrachan@yaho... | 11 years ago
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For Ireland and cycling I hope this is true. Although it does smack of conspiracy and nepotism when Pat McQuaid's son has been involved in bringing it over - and lets face it, the McQuaid name is hardly free of controversy is it?  39

It would be great to see it in the UK and Ireland though  1

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Squiggle | 11 years ago
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Great! It's easier to get to than Leeds so it is!  4

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Farky | 11 years ago
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Such a great thing that would be.

Lets hope the feckin fleg issues sorted before marching season or else politics may negatively influence cycling once again in Ulster.

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kitkat | 11 years ago
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I SO hope it's true  4

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velophilia | 11 years ago
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I hope that is true.

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MartyMcCann | 11 years ago
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Just hope Willie Frazer learns how to tell the difference between Irish and Italian tricolours by then...

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