Grand depart

[Buttelski]

Ok I know this is somewhat unrealistic - but I've just the interview with Prudomme talking about a Grand Depart in Edinburgh or Yorkshire. So how could there be a grand depart in North America?

I am based in Ireland so no agenda - just interested to see if it could work

 

[Warhawk]

Can you imagine the jet lag?

 

[Catwhoorg]

Look back at the Logistics of getting the Giro from Denmark to Italy, there are some significant difficulties involved.

You could maybe manage it if the start/finish was the same area each time (no team coaches needed for transfers), had no TT bikes for the prologue.

it not just getting the riders, its getting the gear, the support teams, the vehicles (cars and coaches) and heck the publicity convoy, from the start to France.

 

[Bala Verde]

In 2010 there was talk of a Giro depart in Washington DC.

Giro d'Italia bicycle race is making its way to Washington, D.C. in 2012

Currently the prologue is the only stage set for the United States, although several cities, including Philadelphia and New York, have been mentioned should Giro d'Italia organizers deem it necessary to have two race days on American soil.[...]

For race organizers, significant planning will be required to fly riders, team staff and race officials back to Italy after the opening stage. Once riders land in Italy on Saturday night, they will have a day of rest on Sunday before resuming the race the following morning.

The deal collapsed after the DC mayor, Fenty, didn't get reelected. He was the driving force behind the event.

The road bicycle stage race is held yearly over three weeks in May and early June and always has taken place in and around Italy, but talks have been ongoing between race organizers and District officials, including Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, a cycling enthusiast, to bring the sport's second-most prestigious event to the nation's capital.

 

[robert_c]

A prolouge in Manhattan would be great, but logisticallty it would be a nightmare.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The Tour wanted to start in Quebec back in the 80s sometime, but the logistical difficulties of it forced them to reconsider.

Any expectations for a GT starting on a whole other continent should probably for the time being be left for the Vuelta's nascent plans to start in Ceuta.

 

[Viking]

Look back at the Logistics of getting the Giro from Denmark to Italy, there are some significant difficulties involved.

Yep. Same thing with the Vuelta a España y los Países Bajos in '09. Not only is it a logistical nightmare, but it totally throws off the rest days. You end up with an early rest day, that isn't very restful because of the travel, and a longer-than-normal period until the next rest day.

 

[robert_c]

Any expectations for a GT starting on a whole other continent should probably for the time being be left for the Vuelta's nascent plans to start in Ceuta.

I could see a Vuelta prologue in Morocco.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Have it on Vegas Strip...that would be legit.

 

[Magnus]

Yep. Same thing with the Vuelta a España y los Países Bajos in '09. Not only is it a logistical nightmare, but it totally throws off the rest days. You end up with an early rest day, that isn't very restful because of the travel, and a longer-than-normal period until the next rest day.

For the riders the rest day is restful as always. At least in the case of Giro in Denmark. The riders checked in at their hotel at 10 pm in Italy the day before the rest day, so not really that different to any other transfer between stages.

 

[Christian]

IMO we'll have a GT start in Qatar in the next 10 years

I would have enjoyed a Washington D.C. start and some North American stages ... although Giro should start in Chicago "Memorial Al Capone"

 

[Zam_Olyas]

IMO we'll have a GT start in Qatar in the next 10 years

I would have enjoyed a Washington D.C. start and some North American stages ... although Giro should start in Chicago "Memorial Al Capone"

new york - giro better ?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I could see a Vuelta prologue in Morocco.

Guillén said back in 2010 when he was trying to plan this that Ceuta was what was in mind, but if he went to Ceuta, he would have to go to Melilla as well, and if he went to those it would be pretty difficult for him to do Morocco for a long time after that.

 

[Machu Picchu]

I'd rather they kept it all local(ish) without too much travel however if they were to go to the US then I'd prefer it to be a precursor to an annual race event - my vote would go to New York

 

[RedheadDane]

I'd rather they kept it all local(ish) without too much travel...

Yeah. I sorta feel the same way.
Obviously, though, I thought the Giro start in Denmark was absolutely brilliant and would feel the same way if the Tour ever made it up here. But hey! I'm biased!