The Tour de France will celebrate its 100th edition by hosting the 2013 Grand Départ in Corsica.
Corsica is the only French département not to have held a Tour stage but race organisers ASO confirmed the race will start on the Mediterranean island.
Local newspaper Corse Matin reported that three stages will be held at a cost of two million euros. More details will be announced at a news conference in the Corsican city of Ajaccio on December 6.
“Mister Paul Giacobbi, president of the ‘Collectivité Territoriale de Corse’ and Mister Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, have the great pleasure of announcing that the Grand Depart of the 100th edition of the Tour de France will take place in Corsica in 2013,” read an ASO statement.
“It will be the first time that the ‘Beauty Island’ and its two departments will welcome the peloton of the greatest cycling race in the world. Despite the fact that many cycling events have already taken place on its territory, Corsica remains the only region of metropolitan France to have never received the visit of the Tour de France.”
Corsica has held the past two editions of the two-day Critérium International, with Frank Schleck winning this year’s race.
