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Welcome to Yorkshire chief says it will meet government Tour de France funding conditions

Boss of tourism agency that led successful Grand Depart bid reacts to criticism

Welcome to Yorkshire insists it will work alongside other organisations to ensure it complies with the requirements stipulated to secure £10 million in funding for the staging of next year's Grand Depart of the Tour de France, secured in principle from Culture Secretary Maria Miller.

Ms Miller made the pledge yesterday after receiving a delegation of MPs from North Yorkshire, just 24 hours after one of her colleagues at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), Sports Minister Hugh Robertson, had been highly critical of the organisers of the Grand Depart in a letter sent to the Chief Executive of Leeds City Council.

In a statement sent to road.cc this afternoon, Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: "'A UK wide strategic delivery group for the Grand Depart was a key component of Welcome to Yorkshire's original business plan to UK Sport.

"As the only agency in the UK with the contract to deliver the Grand Depart of the Tour de France Welcome to Yorkshire will, as it originally stated, form and chair that group and will invite representatives from UK Sport and DCMS to be a part of that.

"Many people and organisations with experience of being involved with the Olympics will be on that group and we will work with ASO, the premiere cycling event organisers in the world, to ensure we host both a world class cycle race and also maximise the benefits that surround it in terms of economic impact, health, education legacy and tourism. We are confident we have the expertise to do that and deliver on our promise to host the Grandest Grand Depart."

The DCMS has not said what criteria it will use to judge that the make-up of the strategic delivery group is acceptable or whether it will require approval of the group's membershiip and business plan before releasing the funds, while Mr Verity is undeniably correct that Welcome to Yorkshire is the agency with the contract the Government holds the purse strings.

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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DavidBarryFagley | 11 years ago
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I find it incredible of peoples ignorance in the Tour de France culture. Having followed Le Tour for over 20 years abroad, Yorkshire is ideal. I wish I had the finance to tell the Government to rescind their decision. The Olympic Road Race was badly organised with 'lock down' roads way after it had passed. In France roads are open as soon as when the famous Broom Wagon has passed. WTY are doing a fantastic job. Read Yorkshire hotels bookings. Packed all
of them. Once again, non cycling (I don't mean
real cyclists) British and Yorkshire ignorant people are wrong. I love my Yorkshire. XXX

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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Oh look, there is that word again LEGACY.....I'm sure I heard that being spouted around some other big event last year....  19

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Roberj4 | 11 years ago
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10 Million won't go far resurfacing the roads! Lol

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