As Leeds prepares to host the world’s largest annual sporting event this summer the official Tour de France Grand Depart trophy which is awarded to the city hosting the opening stage of the tour, has been put on display throughout the district to raise the anticipation of this legendary cycle race.
Yorkshire will be the second name to be engraved on this magnificent trophy that was commissioned by the organisers of the Tour de France, Amaury Sport Organisation to commemorate the centenary tour in 2013. The trophy was beautifully designed by award winning French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand and was first presented to the island of Corsica who hosted the opening stage of the tour last year.
The ornate trophy featuring the Tour de France logo and the names and dates of the hosting cities Corsica and Yorkshire will be on display inlocations surrounding the two Yorkshire stages of the tour before it returns to the Grand Depart’s start line on Saturday 5th July.
The man responsible for leading the bid for the 2014 Grand Depart, Chief Exec of Welcome to Yorkshire Gary Verity, was passed over the trophy at last years finish line on the Champs-Elysees, Paris by the President of the Executive Council of Corsica Paul Giacobbl. 2013 was the year that the Tour de France was won by British cyclist Chris Frome, who after Bradley Wiggins’ victory in 2012 is the second British Cyclist to win the tour in 100 years of this prestigious race.
With only 82 days left until the start of the 2014 Tour de France, lets hope that this years’ tour is equally as momentous as the last two!
Written by Premier Trophies’ PR & Marketing Manager and avid cyclist Hannah White