Chief organizer Christian Prudhomme has given a boost to hopes that the Tour de France 2030 will start in Dresden. "Germany counts for France, equally Germany counts for the Tour de France," said the 64-year-old at a book launch for the world's biggest cycling race in Berlin. A German bid "cannot simply be wiped off the table", said Prudhomme.
An initiative has been pushing the idea of bringing the Tour de France back to Germany after 13 years for several months. The last time the big loop started in Düsseldorf was in 2017. Previously, the western part of Berlin in 1987, Frankfurt/Main in 1980 and Cologne in 1965 were German starting points for the Tour de France.
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According to co-initiator Andreas Prokop, there have already been good discussions and a "first meeting" with Prudhomme during this year's competition. Accordingly, there are ideas for three stages in eastern Germany - from Dresden to Gera, from Leipzig to Halle as a time trial and from Erfurt to Magdeburg.
Competition for Dresden is expected to come from Norway. Prudhomme also spoke of applications from the Czech Republic, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Belgium. In total, there are around 300 bids for stage locations every year, 50 of which come from abroad.
Since 1954, the Grand Départ has often been held abroad. Barcelona will be the starting point next year, while Edinburgh in Scotland will be the starting point of the big loop in 2027.
The French ambassador, Francois Delattre, supports the Dresden initiative. "It would be great if the fifth Grand Départ could take place there," he said, referring specifically to the 40th anniversary of German reunification in five years' time. East Germany had "produced many great cyclists".
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