Utrecht will host the 2015 Tour de France Grand Depart, organisers ASO revealed today.
The Dutch city will follow this year’s Corsican start and next year’s hotly-anticipated Yorkshire Grand Depart when the 102nd edition of cycling’s greatest race rolls out in the Netherlands.
It will be the sixth time the Tour has visited the country, with Amsterdam having hosted the Tour’s first start abroad back in 1954.
Since then, the Tour’s peloton has also visited Scheveningen, in 1973, Leiden five years later, Hertogenbosch in 1996 and most recently Rotterdam in 2010.
The Giro d’Italia has also visited Utrecht, in 2010, when Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) wore the maglia rosa, having won the previous day’s prologue, and Tyler Farrar won the stage.
Utrecht, this year, also hosted the road race at the European Youth Olympic Festival.
Mayor of Utrecht Aleid Wolfsen said: “The Tour de France will start in Utrecht. In our very own city. In 2015. When a dream like this comes true, it fits to extend a very warm welcome.”
Full details of the Grand Depart will be revealed on November 28 at press conferences in first Paris and then Utrecht.
Discuss in the forum
