Call for Welsh town to host Tour stage

WITH the drama and excitement of the Tour de France starting this weekend, one South Wales councillor is calling for Wales to host one of the stages – in Porthcawl.

This year marks the 105th edition of the Tour de France, the world’s most famous bike race.

Britain is no stranger to the prestigious event, having hosted the Grand Depart in Yorkshire in 2014 and with stages also having taken place in Hampshire in 1994 and London in 2007.

But Bridgend County Council’s cabinet member for regeneration Charles Smith said he would love to see one take place closer to home, adding it is his dream to see a stage start from the Eastern Promenade in Porthcawl.

He said: “The Eastern Prom is as good as any site I have seen on television with a wide road where the cyclists can all line up and Sandy Bay as a stunning backdrop.

“When they went to Hampshire they rode along the Basingstoke bypass – the Eastern Promenade at Porthcawl can knock spots off Basingstoke any day of the week!

“It just needs a bit of investment which it is going to get as part of regeneration plans for the town.”

A Welsh Government spokesman said it was keen to “explore options” for one of the three so-called “Grand Tours” to come to Wales.

She said: “Welsh Government remains ambitious for Wales to possibly host a future Grand Tour event – the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana make up cycling’s prestigious three-week-long Grand Tours.

“In recent years, we have made contact with the owners of all three events and have been keen to explore options.”