Italy deserves to host TDF start - Prudhomme

The Tour de France will continue to spread its wings, race director Christian Prudhomme has said, with cycling powerhouse Italy being high on the list of contenders to host the start in the next few years.

Cycling’s greatest challenge has visited several countries in recent years to get the race underway including, Ireland, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, but Italy has never enjoyed that honour.

This year, the 2013 edition will start from the French Mediterranean island of Corsica.

Prudhomme agrees that given the depth and history of Italian cycling, it was unusual that Italy had never hosted the start of the race since it was first held in 1903.

“What has been evident in the last few years is the number of times Italy has put up a candidate and that is something that we will have to put right one day soon,” he said.

Florence, which will hold the World Road-Race Championships in September, put in a bid to host the start of next year’s race, but it went instead to the Yorkshire city of Leeds, while Venice has also been mentioned.

Prudhomme, who took over as race director from Jean-Marie Leblanc 10 years ago, would not divulge which cities had expressed an interest in hosting the start.

But he singled out Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and “naturally” Great Britain – a country where he said cycling had made spectacular progress on the back of last year’s successes of the Sky Team and Bradley Wiggins.

This year’s Tour comes at a time when cycling is once again up against it following the sensational doping admissions made by seven-time winner Lance Armstrong and the 1997 champion Jan Ullrich.

But he believes that despite all the adverse publicity, the sport still enjoys great affection among the general public.

“It’s true that cycling, more than ever, needs to be loved, and it is,” he said.

“Not for one second has there been any sign of public disaffection. On the contrary, we see a phenomenal passion in the French regions and abroad.

“On my recent trips to Australia, England, Belgium and the Netherlands I have witnessed a real enthusiasm for the tour.”

On doping, Prudhomme said that while it remained a major problem for cycling, progress was being made.

“I really believe that in that area great advances have been made in the last few years, especially as regards the introduction of the biological passport” he said.

“At the same time, it’s true we do not live in a perfect world, that does not exist.”

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